Patriots Discover That The More Things Change, The More They (Must) Stay The Same

"We always try to play well early. Whether we're home or away, we always try to get off to a fast start. We did things well early in the game, so we were able to get that going." - Bill Belichick

There is no better example of the Erhardt-Perkins offensive philosophy in play than what we saw from the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon in New Orleans.

The Erhardt-Perkins offense sparked the mantra "Pass to score, run to win" to accommodate the changing world of professional football in the mid-to-late 1970's, when the league started changing things up to spark an uptick in the popularity of the sport.

For example, in 1972 through the 1977 NFL seasons, the NFL instituted rules that were supposed to make the game more exciting by playing with the location of the hash marks more towards the middle of the field so that since the rules already stated that the ball was to be placed between the hash marks, it theoretically would open up the outsides so receivers could have more room to separate from the ball placement...

...but what ended up happening is that it instead helped defensive coordinators disguise coverages more efficiently and opened up the middle of the field for the running game, so it took a strong running game to force the defense to commit to stopping the run before the passing game could work effectively.

The Patriots were one of the best at taking advantage of the rule changes, as they had an elite running game led by the likes of Sam Cunningham, Andy Johnson and Don Calhoun, the Patriots owned the middle of the field - because not only were those backs great runners, but they also represented three of the top four receiving threats on the team.

But things started to change in 1978 when the league implemented the Illegal Contact rules that freed up receivers and made trying to disguise coverages an exercise in futility.  The impact was immediate as receivers Stanley Morgan (25.1 yards per reception), Harold Jackson (20.1) and tight end Russ Francis (13.9) proved so dangerous outside the hash marks that they had to be double-covered, opening up the Patriots' punishing ground game to set an NFL rushing record that still stands today.

They passed the ball to score early, usually on long chunk plays, then ran the ball to move the chains and kill the clock.  It worked so well that quarterback Steve Grogan went from throwing for 1900 yards in 1976 to 2800 yards in 1978, finding enough room underneath to contribute over 500 yards on the ground as well.

Now, Tom Brady is never going to contribute 500 yards rushing in a season - he has gained just 950 yards in seventeen seasons - but he still runs the offense as if Ron Erhardt and Ray Perkins were calling the shots.

In both 2017 contests thus far, Brady has come out flinging the ball all over the place, but the approaches have been different.

Against the Chiefs, head ball coach Bill Belichick seemed to want to test Kansas City's run defense, as they finished last season among the bottom four teams in the league in that department and did little in the offseason to repair it - but after some initial success with James White carrying the load, he found out the hard way that if the Chiefs were expecting a run, they played it well.

Twice on fourth and less than one yard to go, power back Mike Gillislee was stoned for no gain, and White was held short of the line to gain on a third and short - and it just so happened that those plays turned out to be pivotal points that gave advantage to their opposition - but against New Orleans, the Patriots attained proper balance by sticking to the tenets of their offensive philosophy, and it gained them the typical results.

Those aforementioned tenets produced a 30-13 halftime lead for the Patriots, who scored on five of their six first half possession while racking up 300 of their 447 passing yards, then switched gears in the second half to eat clock, picking up 59 of their 119 rushing yards as all four of their second half drives ate up at least 3:35 off the game clock.

Pass to score, run to win.

It has been effective enough to make the Patriots the top offense in the National Football League after two weeks, averaging 342 yards per game through the air and 462 total yards per game, and have them sitting at sixth in scoring despite putting up just 16 second half points - a typical disparity of the Erhardt-Perkins scheme where the offense is looking more to move the chains and chew up clock than anything else.

The defense? They rank next to last in both passing yards and total yards yielded, and 29th in points surrendered.

None of these numbers mean very much after just two weeks of play, as evidenced by Oakland, Denver, Kansas City and the Los Angeles Rams being the top four scoring offenses after being middle-of-the-road entities in 2016 and Carolina and Buffalo being atop the football world on defense despite being two of the worst units in the league last season...

...but it does mean that the Patriots have played one game where they didn't play complementary football - that would be against the Chiefs when in the second half and up by six points, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels forgot his scheme and tried going vertical against a team built to defend such a thing.

The results were predictable, as the Patriots "vertical" offense produced just two drives out of eight that were over two minutes in length, putting their defense back on the field against an offense with ridiculous speed and a powerful running game.

That was corrected against the Saints as the Patriots went back to their bread-and-butter short passing game while spreading the field horizontally, moving the chains methodically and chewing up both yardage and clock on drives of 8, 9, 9 and 7 plays for nearly eighteen minutes - which produced the also-predictable results of a victory pulling away from their opponents in the second half.  In response, the New England defense had to be on the field for just five second half possessions totaling 12:40 of game clock.

So, the Patriots got back on track against the Saints after whatever that was that they were experimenting with against the Chiefs - and if they continue to play their game, they should be able to settle into the kind of football that has made them successful for going on two-decades now...

Patriots Return To Bread-And-Butter Offense, Pound Saints

That was more like it.

Coming off of a season-opening loss in which the New England Patriots scored enough points to win, but had issues sustaining drives, they had no such trouble against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, dominating the time of possession in a not-as-close-as-the-score-would-indicate 36-20 win at the Super Dome.

In the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on opening night, the Patriots managed drives totaling over three minutes on just two of the fourteen possessions, punting six times and turning the ball over on downs twice while splitting the time of possession with the Chiefs - but against the Saints, seven of New England's ten possessions topped the three-minute mark, and they punted just three times...

Chris Hogan wide open

...one of those a "mercy rule" punt from the Saints twenty-five yard line late in the fourth quarter as the Patriots held the ball ten minutes longer than New Orleans with a balanced attack that featured their tight ends and running backs to compensate for their lack of healthy wide receivers.

How much of a disparity was there in touches between the wide receivers and the rest of the "skill" position players? of the 70 plays run by the Patriots' offense, only 16 went to wide receivers as the heavy lifters carried the load for New England, accounting for almost 80% of the workload.

Of course, the Patriots came into Sunday's game with just three healthy wide receivers, which was perhaps a blessing in disguise as it forced offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to go to his bread-and-butter offense, moving the chains with the short passing game with Mike Gillislee power runs sprinkled in to keep the Saints' defense honest.

The result was an attack that shredded the Saints for 555 total yards and produced four touchdowns and three Stephen Gostkowski field goals.

The efficiency of the New England offense proved a boon to the Patriots' defense, who faced no short fields and were able to get proper rest between Saints possessions, something that Patriots' head ball coach Bill Belichick would call complementary football.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees got his typical 300-plus yards, but did so by going an ordinary 27 of 45 and only one touchdown pass when the game was still in question, throwing a second scoring toss in garbage time with the Patriots in prevent mode - most of his big plays coming at the expense of Patriots' safety Patrick Chung, whom Brees picked on mercilessly...

...getting big plays from wide receiver Brandon Coleman, tight end Colby Fleener and running back Alvin Kamara with the veteran strong safety in coverage as defensive coordinator Matt Patricia mixed up underneath coverages and alternating slot responsibilities between Chung and emerging cornerback Jonathan Jones.

The efficiency of the Patriots' offense also affected the Saints running game, putting New Orleans in an early hole and limiting the touches for backs Melvin Ingram and Adrian Peterson, which is fortunate as they averaged nearly five yards a pop in their sixteen combined carries against a Patriots' defense that was clearly playing to stop the Saints passing game.

Brady scoring tosses of 19 yards to running back Rex Burkhead and 53 yards to tight end Rob Gronkowski and 13 yards to wide receiver Chris Hogan staked New England to a 20-3 lead after one quarter, then a short Gillislee run and a Gostkowski field goal gave the Patriots a 30-13 going into the room at the half...

..and even though the Patriots' offense scored only twice more on field goals in the second half, they never varied from their aforementioned bread-and-butter approach, content to move the chains and limit Brees' time on the field.

And that is a huge departure from the previous week, when they scrapped their offensive philosophy in favor of testing the Chiefs vertically, resulting in short fields and many points for the Kansas City offense.

Was the Patriots' offensive approach really a return to that short passing game, move the chains approach that has been so successful for them for going on two decades now, or was it merely from lacking the weapons to spread the field vertically?  Whatever it was, it should have sent a message to the powers that be on the New England sideline.

The message? Never forget and never stray from what has produced eleven conference championship appearances, seven Super Bowls and five Lombardi Trophies in seventeen years.

Analysis: Patriots' Schedule A Matter Of Perspective

It's good to be the king...

The National Football League released the 2017 schedule on Thursday evening, and while the fans of the New England Patriots have known for weeks who their opponents were going to be, the schedule revealed the details - and the schedule makers couldn't have been any kinder to the defending champions.

But many are viewing the Patriots' overall schedule with gritted teeth - and that because of playing five of eight after the bye on the road, including three in a row in early December and two in a row in altitude in November - and those games will be challenging for sure, but things do tend to balance out.

How? Well first of all, the two games in altitude come at a fortuitous time, coming off of the midseason bye.

After playing two consecutive home games to close out the first half of the season, the Patriots take their bye in week 9, the effective two week break giving them many options to prepare for games at Denver and at Mexico City to play the Raiders - perhaps taking off for Denver on Tuesday or Wednesday to acclimate to the thinner air in the Rockies...

...then after playing the Broncos on that Sunday night, they will have the option to either stay in Denver or head straight for Mexico City, depending on the availability of venues in which to prepare for the Raiders.

After that two week stretch, the Patriots return home for the Dolphins, the go for three straight at Buffalo, Miami and Pittsburgh - but then end the regular season with two straight at home against the Bills and Jets.

According to my math, those circumstances neutralize both the disadvantage of playing two straight games in high altitude by giving the Patriots two weeks to prepare, physiologically, for the thin air of Denver and Mexico City, gives them two of their three game roadie against divisional opponents, then see them closing with two straight at home against divisional opponents.

The latter means that if the Patriots take care of their business down thew stretch and secure a first round bye after playing the Steelers in Pittsburgh on December 17th, they may not have to leave Foxborough for the following seven weeks until having to travel to Minneapolis to participate in Super Bowl LII.

So stress out all you want about the schedule, but the glass-half-full perspective shows that there is nothing goofy about the schedule-making - no conspiracies, no hanky-panky.  And the fact that they play five prime time contests and also play in two late-afternoon games scheduled for National Broadcasts means that Patriots' fans around the globe will be sure to catch nearly half of their schedule by doing nothing more than picking up their remote and clicking a couple of buttons.

Thursday, September 7 (8:30pm)
Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Raising the banner is always a special occasion, but the Patriots need to figure out where to put the sucker, as they have run out of room adjacent to the scoreboard.  But, alas, they will figure it out - and also get the opportunity to face a dangerous Chiefs' squad that won the tough AFC West last season before being scalped by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

On the surface, the Chiefs did very little to improve upon last season, re-signing a couple of core players and signing TE Gavin Escobar while giving the ax to RB Jamal Charles - so don't look for them to improve much over their 20th ranked offense and 24th ranked defense.

Sunday, September 17 (1:00pm)
New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints
The Superdome, New Orleans. Louisiana

An early test for the Patriots' defense, as the Saints finished first in total offense in 2016 - but lost a playmaker when they traded WR Brandin Cooks to New England.  The Saints still have Drew Brees chucking the ball about and they signed former Panther Ted Ginn to try and replace Cooks' speed on the outside.

They still sport a terrible defense (27th overall, 31st in scoring defense), so the first round pick they got from New England in the Cooks trade will probably go toward shoring up their secondary, which ranked dead last in the NFL.

Sunday, September 24 (1:00pm)
Houston Texans at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

The Texans have a great defense - tops in the NFL last season - and they have plenty of receiving weapons on offense, but no one to get the ball to them.  Unless Houston takes a quarterback in the draft, it will be third-year man Tom Savage pulling the trigger in the passing game.  Savage will have a top ten running game to keep the heat down to a minimum, but that might not be enough for them to repeat as the "Default" champions of a horrible AFC South...but then again, the division is so bad, it just might.

Sunday, October 1 (1:00pm)
Carolina Panthers at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

The Super Bowl that should have been in 2015, but the Panthers were a just a shadow of themselves in 2016 - but a play here or a play there and a little luck, and it would have been them winning the NFC South instead of the Atlanta Falcons.

The Panthers lost seven games by less than three points, and still finished with six wins.  Fighting through injuries, they were able to hold things together, and now they have almost all of their weapons returning healthy.  Don't let the Panthers' record fool you, they were nowhere near as bad as their record indicated.

Thursday, October 5 (8:25pm)
New England Patriots at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Scary team on the rise.  The Bucs tripped over themselves coming out of the gate in 2016, losing five of their first eight, four of those losses dropping close decisions to eventual playoff teams, then went 6-2 down the stretch to make a valiant run at the post-season, but coming up just short, beating the likes of Kansas City, Seattle and Atlanta in the process.

Sunday, October 15 (1:00pm)
New England Patriots at New York Jets
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Sunday, December 31 (1:00pm)
New York Jets at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

The Jets come into this season is full rebuilding mode, and with a coach who is squarely on the hot seat.  A team with nothing to lose - especially a hated division rival - is a very dangerous team.  Unfortunately for the Jets, they come into the season without a quarterback of any note, offensive and defensive lines in disarray and zero weapons.  Tough go for the Jets.

Sunday, October 22 (8:30pm)
Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

How motivated are the Falcons going to be to cone into Foxborough and give the Patriots a taste of the whip?  This game is the crown jewel of the NFL's first half and a chance for the Falcons to gain some measure of respect after having their hearts ripped out of their chests in the Super Bowl.

Problem is, Atlanta will be fielding a team that is essentially the same as it was in February, a team that gave New England all they could handle and then some, but eventually wore down and blew a 25 point lead.  We all know the story, now the Falcons want some payback.

Sunday, October 29 (1:00pm)
Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

The second of tow consecutive home games to finish up the first half of the season heading into their bye, the Patriots should have a decided advantage over the helter-skelter Chargers - but this team should not be taken lightly.

Playing in the toughest division in all of football, the Chargers went 1-5 in the division, but taking the Chiefs into overtime and playing the Raiders tough before dropping heartbreakers, and splitting their series with the Denver Broncos - in between beating good teams from Atlanta, Tennessee and Houston.  The Chargers have inherent talent, but not the the intestinal fortitude to finish off an opponent.  We'll see if that improves with a new coaching staff.

Sunday, November 12 (8:30pm)
New England Patriots at Denver Broncos
Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

The Broncos may all well be the Patriots' division rivals, having played each other at least once a year since the 2011 season, New England going 6-3 against the Broncos in nine tries in that time span - with two of their losses coming in conference championship games played at Denver.

So no one has to remind Patriots' fans of the consequence of playing the Broncos.  They have a great defense and plenty of weapons on offense, but their quarterback situation took a step back last season after they let Brock Osweiller leave in free agency, as he had already proven that his skill set was a good match for what Denver liked to do with the football.  But altitude aside, the Broncos are always a tough matchup.

Sunday, November 19 (4:25pm)
New England Patriots vs. Oakland Raiders
Azteca Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

Denver may be known as the Mile High City, but Mexico City has them beat by a full third of a mile. Playing the Broncos in Denver the previous week will act as an impromptu hyperbaric chamber for the Patriots, allowing them to acclimate to being a mile above sea level in advance of traveling to Mexico City, which one can reasonably expect to happen immediately after their Sunday night gig in Denver.

The Raiders are as high-powered on offense as any team the Patriots will play all season, though their defense leaves them scratching and clawing to score enough points to win.  The Raiders bitch-kitty is their run defense, and the Patriots have four excellent running backs to rotate in and out to keep their running game fresh...

Sunday, November 26 (1:00pm)
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Monday, December 11 (8:30pm)
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

The Dolphins are always a tough draw, and the fact that they play each other twice in a span of three weeks doesn't make that any easier for either team.  Miami may have made the playoffs last year, but did so ranked in the bottom third of the NFL on both sides of the ball.  The difference between the Dolphins and most other teams on the Patriots' schedule, however, is that they have the stones to finish tight games.

Many will remember their comeback and near upset of New England in Foxborough early last season when the Dolphins scored 21 unanswered points to close within a touchdown of the Patriots, and were threatening to tie the game up with seconds to play until safety Duron Harmon picked off quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the end zone to salvage the win.

One can expect the same effort from Miami this time around as well, as the current staff seems to have the team headed in the right direction.

Sunday, December 3 (1:00pm)
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Sunday, December 24 (1:00pm)
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

This is another instance when the Patriots have to play a division rival twice in a short period of time.  The first was when the Patriots and Dolphins combined to make a Buffalo sandwich in between their contests, and now the Patriots have to play the Bills twice in four weeks, with the Dolphins and Steelers on the docket in between.

The Bills have plenty of talent on offense and play an explosive brand of football, though most of the explosion comes from their dynamic running game, but in contrast, the Bills defense can't stop the opposition's running game to save their lives.  Their saving grace had been their secondary, that is until New England lured cornerback Stephon Gilmore away.

With all of the speed Buffalo has in their receiving corps, they just don't make enough plays in the passing game to keep opposing defenses honest, averaging a mere 190 passing yards per game in 2016.  But a new regime is taking over in Buffalo and, of course, when it comes to playing the champs, every team has a little more motivation.

New England Patriots Big Board - Updated

In light of New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis stating that his team is indeed still in the process of "kicking the tires" on New England Patriots' restricted free agent corner Malcolm Butler, a preemptive expansion of the Patriots draft day "Big Board" is probably not a bad idea, though the exact compensation that the Patriots are to receive is cloudy, at best.

But we can guess.

Virginia Tech tight end Bucky Hodges

It goes without saying that the Saints won't be open to giving up their 11th overall selection in the first round - as verified by Saints' coach Sean Payton on Wednesday - and the 32nd overall selection that the Patriots sent them in exchange for wide receiver Brandin Cooks is too valuable as a bargaining chip to secure more picks on the second day...

...which is exactly where Patriots' head ball coach and defacto general manager Bill Belichick does his best work - but nothing is going to happen until Butler signs his first-round tender, something that Payton reiterated on Wednesday.

"Currently, to my understanding, he hasn't signed his tender" Payton said when asked about the progress with Butler. "It is just that.  We can sign him to an offer sheet (once he signs the tender), but I don't think were going to do that and give up the number 11 pick - in fact, I know we're not going to do that."

That's a smart move by Payton and Loomis, as it would have amounted to an outright fleecing by Belichick along the lines of when he gave up a fifth-round draft pick for wide receiver Randy Moss prior to the 2007 season - and it goes to figure that the 32nd overall wouldn't be in play, either, as it provides Loomis with too much leverage in draft day negotiations.

That said, the best the Patriots can hope for in exchange for Butler is that the Saints send Belichick their second round pick, 42nd overall, along with their 3rd round compensatory selection, 103rd overall.  In this scenario, New England would gain a second round pick that is just ten spots shy of their original first round pick, two third round picks - 72nd and 103rd overall - to go along with their fourth, two fifth rounders, a sixth and a seventh.

The benefit to the Saints is that they can turn one of their first round picks into selections on the second day to recoup the compensation to New England, plus they get a Pro Bowl quality corner, which eliminates their need to use one of their draft picks on a top corner, and can concentrate instead on safeties or linebackers, both of which are in short supply in New Orleans.

Of course, all of this is assuming a deal gets done at all before the draft...


First Day (Just in case)

Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee 6' 3" 270
    Can't miss brawling edge-setter who broke Reggie White's school sack record - in three seasons
Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford 5' 11" 200
    Perfect gameplan-specific back, who can carry it 25 times a game or catch the ball 10 times, invaluable Patriots-esque weapon
Garett Bolles, OT, Utah 6' 6" 300
    Athletic and mean, needs a year to develop, but is worth the first round capital as potential Solder replacement
Marcus Maye, S, Florida 6' 0" 210
    Combination safety with sideline-to-sideline speed and instincts, cover ability and downhill run support

Second Day

T.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin 6' 4" 252
     High effort edge setter with premier NFL bloodlines to draw technique from
Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan 6' 3" 205
     A full grown man among boys in college, expert route runner and red zone threat
DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State 6' 4" 280
    Powerful edge setter with versatility to rush QB from three-technique as part of rotation
Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech 6' 7" 255
    Athletic and fast receiver who is more of a tall wideout than bulky tight end
Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan, 5' 10" 190
    Tough and physical press-man slot corner that could start immediately
Josh Harvey-Clemons, FS/OLB, Louisville 6' 4" 220
    Huge box safety with range and speed, elite tight end coverage
Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma 5' 11" 235
    Creative power runner with violent finish, will not be denied in short yardage
Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy 6' 6" 300
    Scrappy, athletic former hoops star who could handle blind side with a little coaching
Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashland College 6' 7" 278
     Big, fast pass catching tight end in an in-line tight end's body.  Sleeper pick that could pan out
Obi Melifonwu, FS, Connecticut 6' 4" 225
    Coverage "linebacker" who handles tight ends and contributes in run support
Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State, 6' 7" 300
    Athletic, long-limbed blindsider that is already tough run blocker and adequate pass blocker
Quincey Wilson, CB/S, Florida 6' 1" 215
    Press-man corner with plus-skill in run support - may be better safety or slot man
Chidobe Awusie, CB, Colorado, 6' 0" 200
    Versatile with deep speed, could hold off veteran for nickel back or even challenge for outside starter
Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State 5' 9" 214
    Committee power back that can contribute on all three downs
Marcus Williams, FS, Utah 6' 1" 200
    Intriguing centerfielder who could become a Big Nickel man
Tarell Basham, DE, Ohio 6' 4" 270 (Rush end)
    4-3 base end who sets a mean edge and can collapse pocket with pass rush
Derek Rivers, DE, Youngstown State, 6' 4" 250 (Rush end)
    Cat-quick rush end who could find a spot as a rotational rusher
Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson 6' 1" 200
    Tall corner at his best blanketing tight ends and taller receivers
Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo 5' 11" 215
    Big, decisive but plodding back with outstanding vision 
Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia 6' 2" 209
    Zone corner who plays like a safety in coverage
Avery Gennesy, OT, Texas A&M 6' 3" 318
    Project tackle with exceptional feet to both mirror and pull
Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova 6' 7" 290
    Edge defender with potential in pass rush - excellent on special teams blocking kicks
Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson 6' 0" 215
    Intriguing potential as lead back, has nose for chains and end zone
Bryan Cox Jr, DE, Florida 6' 3" 265
    Strong fighter as an edge defender with potential as interior pass rusher
Howard Wilson, CB, Houston 6' 1" 190
    Project ball hawk that could surprise with immediate contribution
James Connor, RB, Pitt 6' 1" 233
    Short yardage specialist that could double as hback
Shaquill Griffin, CB, Central Florida 6' 0" 195
    Speedy press corner who is a bit of a project but with great upside
Darrell Daniels, TE, Washington 6' 3" 247
     Project as a converted receiver.  Elite speed but raw route runner

Third Day:

Julie'n Davenport, OT, Bucknell 6' 7" 320
    Draft-and-stash athletic tackle who could challenge for starting position in 2018
Aviante Collins, OT/OG, TCU 6' 4" 295
    Another draft-and-stash players who needs coaching up on technique, but is very athletic
Nate Hairston, CB, Temple 6' 0" 200
    Project corner that could play in zone fit now, but needs coaching in press-man
Christopher Carson, RB, Oklahoma State 6' 0" 220
    One-speed hammer back who never fumbles but does find end zone
Cooper Rush, QB, Central Michigan 6' 3" 225
    Cerebral, accurate passer whose marshmallow body structure resembles a current Patriots' quarterback...
Jylan Ware, OT, Alabama State 6' 8" 295
    Lengthy project that may have more upside than most projects, and may be ready to contribute
Dare Ogunbowale, RB, Wisconsin 5' 11" 215
    Passing back with upside, good, willing pass protector
Channing Stribling, CB, Michigan 6' 0" 200
    Project corner who contributes in run support and has upside at deep cover
Brian Allen, CB, Utah 6' 3" 220
    Draft-and-stash corner who looks like Brandon Browner, but with speed
Weston Steelhammer, S, Air Force 6' 2" 200
    Great football name and a ballhawk as a cover safety, needs a couple of years but worth the wait

This list is subject to change, and will be updated frequently...

Butler, Agent Playing Hardball With Belichick A Losing Proposition

Thursday came and went.  So did Friday, and still, there was no deal in New Orleans for Malcolm Butler. Saturday and Sunday didn't look any different, either.

The Butler to the New Orleans Saints saga has been dragged out into a new week with the teams reportedly not even close to finalizing anything - which is to be expected since the teams can not legally discuss so much as what's for dinner as long as Butler is involved, since he hasn't signed his first-round tender in some sort of preternatural power play that can't be sitting well with Patriots' head ball coach and defacto general manager Bill Belichick.

Of course, Belichick has seen this before and took the appropriate measures to have himself covered in many ways long before the free agency period began - as Patriots' fans will remember another disgruntled employee by the name of Wes Welker whose monetary demands - not to mention his big mouth - leading up to the 2013 free agency period were met with disdain by Belichick, who opted out of the whole mess by signing Danny Amendola and closing the door on Welker.

But Welker was a soon-to-be 32 year old unrestricted free agent who over-estimated his value on the open market and burned every bridge he could find on his way out of New England, while Butler is a 27 year old restricted free agent entering the prime of his career - so like it or not, Belichick has been forced to deal with Butler and his weird, part-time agent, and it's been somewhat of a bumpy ride...

...in fact, it's been a tangled, roundabout deal that has had all of the drama of a mid-afternoon soap opera mixed with a smattering of Jerry Maquire - and just the fact that the New England Patriots are involved made football fans across the globe crazy with intrigue, if not disgust.

Intrigue, because the Saints have been pulling all of the wrong strings on defense ever since winning their first title back in 2009, and have committed to addressing their deficiencies by trading away their top skill position player on offense to make it happen.  The disgust?  That comes from the Patriots maybe losing their top cornerback from their championship season, and still got stronger on both sides of the ball at the same time...

...and if the Butler to New Orleans deal somehow happens to go through, Belichick will have shiny, new draft capital to spend in Philadelphia in late April.

Originally, in the days leading up to the new league year, the Patriots placed a first-round tender on their restricted free agent cornerback, which mandated that any team that wished to sign Butler to an offer sheet had to do so with the knowledge that the Patriots had ten days to match the offer and keep Butler, or decline to match any offer and let Butler walk away, but at the price of his new team's first-round draft pick.

Depending on how you look at it, that's either a steep price to pay - in that a first round draft pick it the top capital that any team possesses to select players coming out of college - or it's worth giving up that high in capital for a young, proven player that comes with little ambiguity, a view of the situation that comes straight from the Bill Belichick book of team building.

Belichick has long been the alpha scavenger, feeding on players that other teams have trained to be football players in the league - bringing them in, making them professionals, and adding their distinctiveness to the collective, which allows him to open up his playbook in a way that no other team can, and the results are impossible to argue with.

He's not used to other teams trying to pull the condor gambit on his own players, however, but just like with any negative scenario - whether on the field or off - has a plan in place to twist the advantage back around to his own team.

Just the fact that he tendered Butler at the first round level makes one wonder if Belichick had already caught wind that the grumblings from the Butler camp were going to cause waves, something made even more sensible considering that on the first day of free agency he went deep into the vault to bring in ex-Buffalo Bills' corner Stephon Gilmore...

...a move that many are claiming was the impetus for Butler's frustration, when in reality, Belichick was just covering his own ass in the event Butler did blow up in his face.

Ever the leverage junkie, Belichick now has Gilmore under contract to pair with 2016 pickup Eric Rowe, both softening the blow of potentially losing Butler as well as hammering home the idea that if Butler wanted to remain with New England, he was going to do so on Belichick's terms, not his own.

Nobody holds Belichick hostage, at least not without paying a price, but while Butler and his agent would like the appearance of having the upper hand over Belichick and the Patriots - what with their refusal to sign the first-round tender - it is really Belichick who holds the cards, and Team Butler is eventually going to have to submit to Belichick's will.

There are four things that can happen, and Butler controls none of the outcomes:

First, and most simplistic, Butler can sign an offer sheet from the Saints after signing his first round tender, and the Patriots can either match what is certain to be a long-term deal, or, second, they can decline to match the offer and let Butler walk in exchange for the Saints' original first round draft pick, which is 11th overall in the 2017 draft.

Third, Butler and the Saints can work out a contract and eschew protocol by working out a trade with New England which will almost certainly contain either the 32nd overall pick in the draft, or a combination of the Saints' second rounder (41st overall) and third rounder (76th overall).  The 32nd pick originally belonged to the Patriots, who sent it to New Orleans for wide receiver Brandin Cooks.

Fourth, Butler can continue to play hard ball and refuse to sign his tender while seeking a long-term contract, in which case Belichick would just leave him to stew in his own juices, secure in the knowledge that even though Butler is not under contract, his 2017 rights belong to the Patriots, meaning that he would have to sit out, which would destroy his market value, not to mention he wouldn't accrue a fourth league year and would be right back where he started at the beginning of this mess.

There are advantages to the first three scenarios, but nobody wins if the fourth plays out - except the Saints, that is, as they still would have two first round picks.

The second of those two first-rounders, incidentally, was the price that New England paid to acquire third-year speedster Brandin Cooks from the Saints, capital that Belichick really didn't want to part with, and wouldn't have had to had Butler played nice and signed his tender as the original plan was to send Butler and a third-round pick to New Orleans for Cooks...

...and there is still hope that the Patriots can recoup that pick, number 32 overall, but it's going to take Butler and his agent playing ball and agreeing to an offer sheet that the cap-starved Saints can work under their ceiling and still leave enough room to sign their draft picks, which under the current rookie wage scale is going to cost them around $4 million in 2017.

But where there's a will, there's a way - and Belichick's will is stronger than anyone else's in the league.

In the end, Belichick will either end up with Butler and Gilmore manning their starting cornerback spots or they will have fleeced the Saints into giving them a top-end deep threat for what amounts to a third round draft pick.

Either way, Belichick - and the Patriots - win.  Again.

Bennett Comes As Advertised, Brings Nastiness To The Edge

It appears that Martellus Bennett comes as advertised.

That is, if the first half of his very first preseason game of his New England Patriots' career is any indication, as the eighth year veteran was the best player on the field for Bill Belichick's offense on Thursday night against the New Orleans Saints.

He was the best pass catcher and the best route runner, which goes to figure as he was the only veteran of any consequence on the field for New England so far as pass catchers went, but what really set him apart is that he - along with guards Joe Thuney and Shaq Mason - was the best blocker the Patriots put out on the field as well.

Coming out of college at Texas A&M, Bennett was considered a rare breed - a high school basketball star who transitioned to tight end seamlessly, so much so that he became the only tight end in NCAA history who averaged four receptions per game along with five "knockdown" blocks per contest.  His length, spindly arms and enormous hands serving him well in all aspects of the game...

...yet, being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round, he found himself a seldom-used backup to Jason Whitten, as the Cowboys' coaching staff had to endure best buddies Whitten and Tony Romo play pitch and catch, leaving not just Bennett an afterthought, but many disgruntled pass catchers.

Four years was enough for Bennett and the Cowboys, but they should have known what was up as far as perception around the league with Bennett when, in 2009, Dallas was offered a first round draft pick by Cincinnati for him, but the Cowboys refused and instead wasted his talents on the end of a bench.

Always outspoken about his skill set, Bennett jabbered constantly about being misused in Dallas and let his weight get up to nearly 300 pounds before the Cowboys decided to part ways. So it should have been obvious to the management of the Bears that if they wasted his talent, Bennett was going to speak up - only the Bears got something out of him when they decided to part ways, sending the one-time Pro Bowl selection to New England along with a sixth round draft pick, getting a meager fourth rounder in return.

But Foxborough is unlike anywhere else in the NFL, and there certainly isn't a coach in the league who knows how to get the most out of a player better than Belichick, who was on the cusp of the perfect offense when he drafted Rob Gronskowski and Aaron Hernandez in the 2010 NFL draft, planning to unleash a two tight end alignment that would revolutionize the game...

...which it did anyway, despite Gronkowski's lengthy stay on the IR and Hernandez life sentence for murder in 2013.

He was so close that it really had to sting when Hernandez got thrown into the poke for being a murderous thug, especially in light of what Gronkowski has been able to accomplish since - but multiple attempts to find a complementary tight end to the unanimous All Pro has failed miserably, mainly because the players he brought in, Tim Wright and Scott Chandler, were in a different area code than the multi-faceted Gronkowski, and they subsequently wilted and were released.

Mason looking for a victim on White's big play

So the decision to pursue Bennett probably had to be a no-brainer for Belichick.

And not just because of his pass catching ability, which has produced numbers just shy of Gronkowski's league-leading digits from the past couple of seasons, but also because he is rated as a top blocking tight end, a skill set that Patriots' fans got to take a look at on Thursday night.

Out of 31 snaps, Bennett went out in the pattern just ten times - instead, putting on a edge blocking exhibition that has to have the Dark Master giddy with excitement.

And not just your standard I'm-a-pass-catcher-but-I'm-blocking-on-this-play effort, Bennett got downright nasty, especially on running plays, his work helping to spring reserve running back Brandon Bolden a couple of times, opening holes for LeGarrette Blount on the perimeter, and leading the way on James White's 56 yard catch and run..

Blount missed his hole a couple of times, but Bolden set up behind Bennett nicely on two occasions, waiting for the big man to literally drive his man out of the gap before shooting through it.  On White's delayed screen, both right guard Shaq Mason and wide receiver Aaron Dobson laid perfect blocks to spring White, who was then escorted down the field by Bennett, who was holding off his man at the same time.

Bennett escorting White

Excellent stuff, and worth the wait to see it with our own eyes - he has been written about, his role in the offense pondered and opined on relentlessly, but until we saw him in action, he was just the "Black Unicorn", a myth.

But he is hardly a myth, as more than just a couple of Saints' front seven defenders found out on Thursday night, as he was spotted discussing things with Gronkowski on the sidelines after throwing several Saints out of the club - well, maybe not throw them out of the club, but he seemed to revel in pushing them around, more times than not driving his man right out of the picture.

For sure, Belichick has revived Patriots' philosophies from a time when his teams were physical, and always more physical than the other guys.  It's how he won three Super Bowls in the span of just four seasons, and seeing his brand new tight end putting linebackers on the ground in the running game and picking up the edge as a pass blocker has to confirm - in his mind, anyway - that once he trims the roster down to 53, he will have one of the most physical teams in his tenure.

When combined with Gronkowski and the no-nonsense attitude brought by offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia that filters down to his linemen, last season's difficulties in the trenches should become just a faded memory, the running game should gain traction and the benefits to the passing game should go without saying...

Patriots Ride Dominant Defense, Flair For Big Play In Win Over Saints

Bill Belichick likes things boring.

From his demeanor to his say-nothing press conferences to his posture on the sidelines, everything about him screams methodical, particular, stodgy.  He teaches his charges at every opportunity and there is nothing that can be done so well that there isn't a coaching point to be taken advantage of.

There were plenty of coaching moments to be had on Thursday night when Belchick's New England Patriots hosted the New Orleans Saints, but the biggest lesson learned in New England's 34-22 victory was by Belichick himself, who now has the most difficult task of his team-building career ahead of him.

Trey Flowers' strip sack and touchdown return sealed the deal for Patriots

Actually Belichick already knew that he has the deepest, most talented roster in his 17 years as team architect - he's mentioned it several times in his daily pressers - and on Thursday night, the fans got to see that for themselves.

Some it was old hat, like linebacker Jamie Collins demonstrating to the football universe that he may be it's brightest rising star and running back James White picking up right where he left of last season with another subtly illusive catch and run - but the coming out party for a kennel full of young greyhounds like Tyler Gaffney, Trey Flowers, A.J Derby and Kamu "KGH" Grugier Hill does seriously task Belichick with the most difficult personnel decisions in his tenure.

It isn't uncommon to see defenses ahead of offenses in the first preseason game - and while this phenomenon was true for the Patriots against the Saints, the manner in which the New England defense took over the game was scary - scary to the Saints and scary to the rest of the NFL, and maybe even scary to Belichick and his defensive-genius protege Matt Patricia...

...their blue liners forcing four fumbles - two of them recovered, one for a Trey Flowers touchdown - picked off two other balls, one returned for a touchdown by Collins, and recorded two sacks.

Sure, they surrendered 370 yards of total offense to New Orleans, but the Patriots held the Saints' tough runners to an average of 2.6 yards per carry and just about every throw that was completed by the trio of Saints' signal callers was tightly contested by the corners.

Most impressive was the edge setters throughout the game, as Jaball Sheard was virtually unblockable coming off the blind side, Chris Long showed great lateral agility in moving down the line of scrimmage and sealing off the flat, and Flowers bullied his mirror all night long, more times than not disrupting the offensive play before it had a chance to develop.

The interior defenders did a great job of causing congestion in the middle, Malcom Brown, Alan Branch, Markus Kuhn and Terrance Knighton in an effective rotation that consistently took on double teams that allowed linebackers Collins and Dont'a Hightower to roam freely on the second level, directly leading to two of the forced turnovers and one score.

In all, the defense accounted for two touchdowns and forced two red zone turnovers by the Saints that killed scoring chances.  In other words, the unit as a whole has picked up right where they left off last season, and are only going to get better.

The Patriots' offense, besides being handicapped by having almost all of their impact pass catchers in street clothes, managed to score two touchdowns as well.

With the Saints leading 16-8 following Collins' pick-six and a couple of  Mark Ingram one yard touchdown dives, White took a safety valve screen from starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, made one subtle cut, jacked his propeller into high gear and raced 56 yards before being dragged down at the one foot line, LeGarrette Blount taking it in for the score on the next play.

The ensuing two-point conversion attempt failed, but New England kicker Stephen Gostkowski gave the Patriots the lead at the half, then Gaffney scored the eventual game-winning points on a very proper 44 yard sprint, cutting against the grain and running untouched to the end zone.

The only problem is, the big play is not what the Patriots' offense is predicated on.

Belichick's version of the Erhardt-Perkins philosophy relies on short passes and power runs to eat clock and win the field position battle, but the offense wasn't able to sustain many drives, their strongest effort coming on their final drive of the first half, a five-and-a-half minute possession that resulted in a field goal...

...none of their other possessions going for more than three minutes, including five of eleven drives that ended in the dreaded three-and-out.

Shades of last season, when the offense consistently put the defense in poor field position and back on the field without proper rest - but much of Thursday night's difficulties were a by-product of first Garoppolo - then Jacoby Brissett - having limited and untested weaponry to rely on in the passing game, with only prized free agent signing tight end Martellus Bennett and fourth-year bubble player Aaron Dobson being experienced in the pro game.

The benefit to this, however, was the aforementioned performances by White and Gaffney,as well as a breakout performance by second-year tight end A.J. Derby, who surprised many with his separation ability and concentration in traffic over the middle and his solid blocking on the weakside edge...

...a boon to an offensive line that struggled to protect Garoppolo initially, the third-year signal called sacked twice and nailed after the throw times-three, which was actually cured to a point by solid effort from the Patriots' running backs and by concerted balance in the play calling.

Granted, preseason games are void of much game planning, but the running game collecting  151 yards on thirty carries filtered the Saints' pass rush to a degree, allowing the linemen to get set in their stances and anchor against the rush, the protection gaining traction and giving the Patriots' quarterbacks a split-second more time to get the ball out of their hands.

Of course, the five yards per carry was aided by Gaffney's gem, but is also a legitimate representation of the efforts from White and Brandon Bolden between the tackles and the scrambling ability of Brissett, who otherwise looked every bit the rookie that he is in the passing game, forcing throws into tight windows on some throws and into the stratosphere on others, going 7 of 13 while working the entire second half.

For his part, Garoppolo was mostly solid, going 11 of 18 for 168 yards and the White pitch and run for a touchdown, though he appeared to hold the ball just a smidge too long and made a couple of questionable decisions, but overall had the type of performance that he can build upon going into next week's exhibition against the Chicago Bears...

...particularly if he has more of his impressive arsenal of weapons available to him.  Regardless, the team and it's fans can take solace in the fact that their defense is on the cusp of something very proper and appears to already up to the task.

But this is all just in one preseason game.  If this team progresses and becomes more cohesive in the rest of their exhibitions, Thursday night showed that Belichick does indeed have a monumental task ahead of him to pare this team down to 53 players - and that the rest of the NFL should be waiting to scoop up whomever the Dark Master is forced to cut loose...

Patriots Lose The Battles But Win The War In Comeback Over Saints

On one play in the fourth quarter, New England Patriots' quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo reminded all of us that he is just a second year clipboard holder with a lot to learn.

The rest of his night was a confirmation of his enormous potential.

Granted, it was against the New Orleans Saints' second and third string defenders, but Garoppolo completed 28 of 33 pass attempts for 269 yards and a touchdown, while dueling passing back applicants James White and Dion Lewis showed off plenty of fancy footwork and rookie receiver Chris Harper made a big statement for making the Patriots' roster as New England came from behind to defeat the Saints in the Mercedes Benz Superdome on Saturday night.

Being as it was just the second preseason game for both teams, the 26-24 final score is inconsequential - that is, other than the fact that Garoppolo led scoring drives on five of six consecutive series that spanned the final moments of the first half and all of the second, the lone hiccup coming when the Eastern Illinois product hung an off-balance floater into double coverage that was easily picked off at midfield by free safety Pierre Warren...

...while the Patriots' defense that was shredded by Saints' quarterback Drew Brees early in the match settled down in the second half, allowing only a field goal to the New Orleans backups and never letting them get close to the red zone.

Starting signal caller Tom Brady went three-and-out on three straight possessions to start the contest, facing the starting core of the New Orleans defense with a mix-matched offense that was missing nearly all of its proven firepower.

Naturally, the Saints took advantage of the fact that Brady was working with zero experience among his pass catchers by choosing to cover those receivers man-to-man and flooding the Patriots offensive line with a giant wave of humanity, blowing up New England's hapless running game before it got a chance to get going...

...the Patriots posting negative yardage on the ground after three series and only 13 yards through the air on two of five passing - while the Saints' offense was having similar control over the New England defense, quarterback Drew Brees connecting on 8 of 10 passing attempts for 159 yards, a ridiculous average of nearly sixteen yards per attempt, and throwing for two scores in his one quarter of work.

Brees made quick work of the Patriots' pass coverage, which was helter-skelter to begin with as Belichick mixed and matched players out of their comfort zones in the secondary, targeting safety-turned-corner Devin McCourty with speed merchant Brandin Cooks to the tune of 4 connections for 115 yards, including a deep strike touchdown in which McCourty lost inside contain before safety Duron Harmon could get to the play.

Most of the rest of the damage was done by Brees sending everyone deep to clear out the underneath zone and tossing short to his running backs, who combined to haul in five balls for 73 yards, then finishing his night by absolutely abusing depth linebacker Jonathan Freeny on a 12 yard slant to tight end Benjamin Watson for another score.

New Orleans built up a 21-0 lead late in the second quarter when Saints' backup quarterback Luke McCown went after Patriots' corner Logan Ryan on his third (and last) series of the game, finishing it off with a six yard toss to tight end Josh Hill with just a minute left in the first half  - setting the stage for Garoppolo.

Spreading the ball around between his wideouts and backs to move the ball down to the New Orleans 24 yard line with just seconds remaining in the half, Garoppolo made the play that will define his preseason and professional career thus far, escaping the clutches of prone defensive end Bobby Richardson, resetting his feet and delivering a laser to Harper, who had worked himself free in the end zone for the Patriots' first score.

Dion Lewis, who did not play in the first preseason game, scored the only points of the third quarter, a hard-nosed power run right into the teeth of the Saints' run defense for an 11 yard touchdown run. The fourth-year scat back out of Pitt put himself right in the thick of the competition for a roster spot at running back with 5 catches for 36 yards and, even more importantly, by displaying a willingness and ability to pick up the blitz...

...something that fellow back James White showed in abundance for the second game in a row, the sophomore ankle-breaker also hauling in a short pass and weaving through traffic to pick up 20 yards in addition to ending up the leading rusher for either team on the night, three of his 23 yards on the ground accounting for New England's third touchdown of the night just seconds into the final frame.

The ensuing two-point conversion attempt failed, however, leaving the Patriots down a point but with virtually all of the fourth quarter to play - but Garoppolo's ill-advised duck into double-coverage set the Saints up at the New England 15 yard line. The Patriots' defense held New Orleans to a field goal, however, to make the deficit four points.

Garoppolo went right back to work, setting up place kicker Stephen Gostkowski for kicks of 36 and 35 yards on consecutive drives to end the scoring, the latter a game winner with 14 seconds left on the clock.

Lost in the performances of Garoppolo, Lewis, White and Harper - as well as the struggles in run blocking - was the pass protection of the offensive line, keeping both Brady and Garoppolo upright and causing Saints' coach Sean Payton to wonder aloud if his pass rush ever touched the New England signal callers.

They did, but not enough to knock ether off of their spots in the pocket, sans the athletic play from Garoppolo on the first touchdown strike - a glowing contrast from the Patriots' preseason opening loss to Green Bay, when the Packers' pass rush got to Garoppolo for seven sacks, and nailed him another half-dozen times after he had released the ball.

In the end, the Patriots won the game but lost many of the early battles, mostly due to a limited depth chart among the pass catchers, which enabled the Saints to overwhelm the Patriots offensive line with sheer numbers as they keyed on stopping New England's running game and forcing the game onto a handful of inexperienced receivers...

...while on defense the Patriots electing to test the versatility of their secondary while sitting their starting linebacker corps for most of the game, putting the onus on bubble players to stand up and make a case for their inclusion on the final roster - and it was predictably ugly at times, but Belichick has to like the fight his charges showed in outscoring the Saints 26-3 once the team settled down and started playing some good ball.

Patriots To Unveil Big Nickle Base Against Saints

The New England Patriots are set to be the first team in NFL history to employ the Big Nickle as their base defense, and Saturday night's matchup with the high powered New Orleans Saints' offense will provide the fan base with their first real opportunity for a sneak preview.

Despite dumping freakishly athletic tight end Jimmy Graham on the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason, the Saints still possess a group of pass catchers that can give opposing defenses fits and, due to their size advantage against nearly any corners they might match up against, teams that can utilize the three safety concept will be more successful than most against them - but particularly the Patriots' version, as they have a legitimate diamond of a Big Nickle safety in Devin McCourty.

Jordan Richards (l) and Robert McClain are great fits in Patriots' secondary

The star of the Saints' camp thus far in 2015 has been second-year undrafted free agent Brandon Coleman, who at 6' 6" and 225 pounds combines with like-sized veteran Marques Colston and diminutive burner Brandin Cooks to give quarterback Drew Brees a dangerous trio of pass catching talent, with lanky Nick Toon coming on as another tall, speedy option...

...which should be easier to defend given the state of the Saints' running game. Mark Ingram figures to be the equivalent of a lead back for New Orleans, and has also been the passing back in practices while newly acquired and oft-injured C.J. Spiller recovers from his latest malady. Khiry Robinson will benefit from increased snaps with Spiller out, but is reportedly on the trading block - so a lot of touches on Saturday night would probably be akin to the Saints showcasing him.

Spiller has great hands out of the backfield, but he can't catch anything from the trainer's table. Ingram is adequate in the passing game and Robinson is too erratic to really count on - so all things considered, the Patriots can expect Brees to spread them out, giving New England the perfect opportunity to try out their new look secondary.

Unlike the standard nickle defense in which a nickle corner comes into the game in the stead of a slower lumbering linebacker, the Big Nickle instead calls for a hybrid safety to replace the linebacker - and be as New England spends around seventy percent of their snaps in the nickle, it goes to figure that the Big Nickle will translate to the same number.

The Patriots have traditionally employed sure-tackling corners in what has been either a 4-2-5 alignment (four down linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs) or a 3-3-5, depending on the opposing personnel, but with the release of veteran slot corner Kyle Arrington in the offseason combined with a multitude of off-the-radar signings, the depth chart now suddenly supports the idea of the Big Nickle.

For the uninitiated, the Big Nickle safety must possess the coverage ability of a cornerback to take on an outside receiving threat, with the run support willingness of a strong safety so that the defense doesn't lose that capability by pulling a linebacker from the field. The nickle will normally align at linebacker depth in order to be able to read the play from the box and react accordingly, while the strong safety will key on the opposing running back, leaving the tight end to the strong side linebacker to deal with.

The only downfall to this alignment is that it leaves the free safety as the lone centerfielder - but as the Patriots have benefited from the emergence of Duron Harmon in that role, it frees up newly rich hybrid corner/safety McCourty to reduce down to be the Big Nickle.

Heavy with safety talent, the Patriots philosophy has been constructed through the past three offseasons. In 2012, head ball coach Bill Belichick moved top corner McCourty to free safety, adding Tavon Wilson in the second round of the 2012 draft, Harmon in the third round of the 2013 draft and, after an unsuccessful attempt at reviving the career of former Arizona Cardinals' heavy hitter Adrian Wilson, he brought back former second rounder Patrick Chung last season and drafted underrated Stanford hybrid Jordan Richards in the second round this year...

...and in addition, Belichick brought in corner hybrids Robert McClain and Bradley Fletcher to go along with third-year man Logan Ryan (who was rumored to be switching to safety last season) to give him a pool of eight options to participate in the Big Nickle as hybrid safeties.

There has been evidence of Belichick leaning towards this alignment all off season, as McCourty, Harmon and Wilson have seen time at corner while Chung and Richards have taken turns in the box as true strong safeties. McClain appears to be the top candidate for the slot in either a standard base or in the nickle, giving the team a solid hybrid in that role without having to flip-flop.

But this is all for another time - for now, however, some random thoughts headed into tonight's game:

Time to settle on linebacker depth

Eric Martin, James Morris and Jonathan Freeny lead group of decent linebacker depth that also include Cam Gordon, Darius Fleming and Dekoda Watson. As always, it seems, depth is a primary concern with the Patriots at linebacker, and any of these guys could do themselves a huge favor by having a breakout performance tonight.

Especially under the microscope will be the depth in the middle to back up starter Dont'a Hightower, and players with some versatility to play both inside and out, like Morris, has a huge opportunity in this game. Fleming is purely a strong side edge setter while Watson and Gordon would have to make a roster spot by turning is stellar performances. Martin will likely miss his second straight contest with an undisclosed injury.

Regardless of what happens, the Patriots would be well-advised to settle on their depth early and use the next two games to develop some chemistry with whomever is going to be on the tea,.

Team will likely go run-heavy early to get Blount work

Look for LeGarrette Blount to get some quality reps early as the Patriots offense works off of a scripted game plan, setting up the passing game with it's depleted ranks amongst the pass catchers by establishing the power running game.

Gray will get some work and passing back James White has a golden opportunity to solidify his status as the top option on third down, likely before Dion Lewis, and former Saint Travaris Cadet falls further down the depth chart by probably missing tonight's game with an injury.

Boyce needs to translate strong practices to game nights

Some players are gamers, and some are workout warriors. Josh Boyce needs to be both to make a run at a roster spot.

Boyce was targeted almost exclusively during portions of the team's first preseason game - and the combination of the quarterbacks being under duress and the Patriots' telegraphing their intent did him no favors, so New England must get other options contributing early to lighten the load on Boyce and to make the offense less predictable.

Of course, having any other experienced receivers on the field with him would help immensely, especially if Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski are on the field to take the focus away from not just Boyce, but all of the youngsters trying to make the team.

Boyce has elite speed and is a vertical threat in practice, but that needs to translate to game time.

Tight ends on display

Gronkowski will see some action, but newbie Scott Chandler and converted defensive end Jake Bequette will likely be watching in street clothes, opening the door for undrafted rookie free agent Jimmay Mundine do display his talents.

More like an Hback or even a thick wide receiver, Mundine was the most productive and prolific tight end in the history of the University of Kansas' football program, has decent speed and is a load to bring down at 6' 2" 240. If he is ging to make this team, tonight will have a lot to say about that.

Newly acquired blocking tight end Asante Cleveland may see some action, supplanting Marcus Cannon or Cam Fleming as the sixth offensive lineman on running downs. Cleveland is a long shot to make the roster, competing against entrenched Michael Hoomanawanui, who offers pass catching versatility as well. Still, expect to see a few balls coming Cleveland's way so that the team can assess his value to the offense.

Shoring up run defense

As previously mentioned, the Saints are handicapped in their backfield as far as receiving  talent, but they have a name power back in Mark Ingram.

Brees is going to spread out the Patriots as a result, but having Ingram and Khiry Robinson in the backfield will put some stress on the Patriots' run defense, in particular the Big Nickle safety who is going to have to drop down into run support on occasion.

Dominique Easley had a good week of practice, as did nose tackle Malcom Brown as both seemed to take lessons from last week's up and down performances and looked very stout in joint practices so the middle of the line should be improved - but it remains to be seen if the edge setting on the weak side will improve.

Chandler Jones is more of a pass rusher but he needs to pay attention to the edge as well, something that rookie Geneo Grissom showed in abundance during joint practices. If Grissom continues to show edge setting capability, he could supplant the need for a sixth linebacker on the final roster as a defensive end / weak side linebacker hybrid.