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3 Issues Concerning the 2022 New England Patriots

Heading into the 2022 season, I have 3 issues regarding the 2022 New England Patriots. The first is filling the departure of cornerback JC Jackson. Second, is the lack of experience in the linebacking group. Third, is the coaching staff. Will Matt Patricia eventually take over the reins of Offensive, Coordinator? One more concern I have is the development of Mac Jones. In this post, we will review three areas of concern for this year’s Patriots.

Inexperienced Linebacking Group

Outside of Matthew Judon and JaJuan Bentley, the Patriot’s linebacking group is relatively inexperienced. Third-Year man Josh Uche’s snaps have diminished since his rookie season. Second-year man Cameron Magrone has yet to play a down in the NFL. Dolphin castoff Raekwon McMillon is coming off ACL surgery. And Oklahoma product Ronnie Perkins is untested. Despite the question marks, the team needs to stop the run. Anything less is unacceptable.

This year, the Patriots are focusing on speed. Gone are the days of the so-called thumpers such as Jamie Collins and Kyle Van Noy. The key, this year is Matt Judon playing at full strength. In the first half, he was all over the field. But in the second half, his performance slipped a little as did the team.

Can The Coaching Staff Succeed ?

Losing offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was a significant story in 2021. The long- time assistant accepted a head coaching position with Las Vegas. The organization rehired Matt Patricia and Joe Judge.

As it stands now, Bill Belichick will assume the playcalling duties both offensively and defensively. An idea that I happen to like with a young talented quarterback in Mack Jones.

If the team can stay fairly healthy, I feel it will be a successful season. The Patriots need to play a full four quarters of football in order to have any chance of winning games.

Replacing JC Jackson

The biggest test will be finding a capable replacement for JC Jackson. On draft day Belichick selected two corners in Marcus Jones/Houston and jack Jones/Arizona State. Both had successful college careers. Marcus Jones can return kicks and is known for his strong coverage play. Jack Jones had some off-field issues but has great instincts.

Free agent signings Jabril Peppers and Malcolm Butler will compete for the starting role. Butler hasn’t played in over a year. Replacing Jackson will be the coaching staff’s biggest challenge.

Conclusion

2022 will be one of Bill Belichicks most important. How far will Mack Jones carry them? Can the new-look defense stop the run? Last year the Patriots were third in points allowed with 17.5. Tied for third in takeaways with 30 and tied for eighth in stopping third down conversions. Overall their defense ranked in the NFL’s top ten.

My biggest concern is keeping Mac Jones healthy. Number one pick Cole Strange is expected to start at left guard in 2022. Another issue is finding a capable replacement for Shaq Mason. Mason was dealt to Tampa Bay for a draft pick. I predict the team to go 11=6 in 2022 one game better than 2021.

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Evaluating 3 Area Of Strength For The 2022 Patriots

With, Pre _season a month away, it’s time to evaluate 3 areas of strength for the 2022 Patriots. The team returned to the playoffs in 2021. However,2022 brings new challenges. The organization lost one of the league’s top corners to free agency. In this post, we will review three areas of strength for this year’s New England patriots.

Strong Secondary

Even with the loss of JC Jackson to the Rams, the Patriots still have a respectable secondary. Last season the tandem of Devin McCourty and Andrian Phillips stopped 37 passes for 345 yards against opposing quarterbacks .and had a rating of 71.1 This year the team resigned Malcolm Butler and Jabril Peppers. Plus signed free agent Terrence Mitchell. Safety Devin McCourty ranks 10th in the NFL.

On draft day Bill Belichick added Corberbck Jack Jones from Arizona State and Marcus Jones of Houston. Overall, the secondary ranked 20th in the NFL in 2021.

Coaching

When it comes to coaching, the Patriots have one of the best in NFL history. Overall, Belichick has a 321-156 record for a 673 winning percentage. Only Don Shula has more wins than Belichick with 328 wins. At, 69 years old, he still has a competitive team with a young quarterback on the rise.

In the offseason, the Patriots rehired ex_ Giants coach Joe Judge and still have Matt Patricia. Defensively, the club has promising, Jarod Mayo and Steve Belichick calling the plays. The Patriots did lose long_ time offensive coordinator Josh Mcdaniels to Denver.

Offensive Line

Considering the organization traded Shaq mason, the Patriots still have the best line in the division. The Patriots traded the 21st pick to Kansas City for their 28th pick. With the 28th pick, New England selected Tennessee Chatanoongga guard Cole Strange. Also selected was Chasen Hines of LSU. Third _year tackle Michael Onwenu is the highest graded player by Pro Football Focus. The sad part is that Onwenu was replaced by Trent Brown halfway through the season.

With a younger line, I look for the team to be run_ heavy and much quicker.

Conclusion

With, Mac Jones heading into his sophomore season, fans have reason to be excited. However, there are a lot of questions to be asked. Does Tyquan Thornton have NL potential? Will Trent Brown stay healthy? Can the coaching staff take Mac jones to the next level? These and other questions will take time. My final prediction for the 2022 season 11-6 and one playoff win.

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Why Jarrett Stidham Will Succeed As A Patriots Starter

As football fans wait out the pandemic, people are anxious to see quarterback Jarrett Stidham in action. Stidham has the arduous task of replacing the great Tom Brady. One thing is for certain, Jarrett Stidham will face many growing pains as a first_year quarterback. In this post, we will examine three reasons why Jarrett Stidham will survive as the Patriots starting quarterback.

 Why Jarrett Stidham Will Succeed As  A Patriots Starter

Came From A Great College Program  In 2019 the Patriots selected Jarrett Stidham in the fourth round out of Auburn. Stidham played two years under Auburn head coach, Gus Malzahn. While at Auburn, Stidham finished with 25 games under his belt. In that span of time, he threw 18 touchdown passes and threw for over 3,000 yards in  2017/18. Prior to Auburn, he played the 2015 season at Baylor. Both programs are highly regarded by NFL coaches.

Since joining the Patriots he has three NFL games to his credit. Much of his time was spent as Tom Brady’s understudy. He is also facing stiff competition from reserve Brian Hoyer. Many people expect Stidham to play the whole season as a starter.

Playing For One Of The Greatest Coaches In NFL History   Stidham has another advantage that most young quarterbacks don’t. Playing under Bill Belichick will only make him better. The best example is Tom Brady. Brady was a no _name  out of Michigan. Then in early 2000 starter, Drew Bledsoe got hurt and Brady never looked back.

Over the years, Belichick has been a shrewd judge of talent. He has drafted greats like Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi, Vince Wilfork, and Matt Light. Now it’s Stidham’s turn to see if he belongs with the greats.

 Much Improved Offensive Line  One issue Tom Brady had was protection. Last season, center Dave Andrews was injured with a lung infection. In the offseason, Andrews was cleared to play. With a healthy Isaiah Wynn, New England should have a  much improved offensive line in 2020.

In the 2020 draft, Belichick selected three offensive linemen. If Joe Thuney can get his contract extended  Stidham should have significant protection in 2020. Also, joining the mix, are two new tight ends. Joining the mix are Devin Asiasi of UCLA and Dalton Keene of Virginia Tech. Asiasi was the best blocking tight end in the draft.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Looking Ahead With Bill Belichick and his superior staff, Jarrett Stidham will succeed  within time.

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Why The Patriots Still Have Enough Offense To Win The Super Bowl In 2019

The Patriots suffered their second loss of the season to Houston 28-22. Overall, the Patriots rank 5th in the NFL offensively Defensively, fans saw cracks in a unit that was virtually unstoppable the first eight weeks of the season. In this post, we will discuss three areas why the Patriots offense is still good enough to win the 2019 Super Bowl.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Why The Patriots Offense Is Still  Have Enough Offense To Win The Super Bowl

Healthy Running Game  Despite the inconsistent play of the offensive line,the running game is healthy. RexBurkhead, James White, and Sony Michel are the crux of the Patriots offensMichel thus far has totaled 600 yards and has been their most consistent performer. When healthy, Rex Burkhead gives the Patriots a solid one _two punch.  The third back James White is one of Brady’s most trusted receivers in recent memory.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Enough Receivers  Even with Rob Gronkowski not coming back, the club still has adequate receivers. Phillip Dorsett, Mohamed Sanu, Julian Edelman and    Jakobi Meyers. Considering typical rookie mistakes, Meyers has shown signs of improvement.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 After twelve games, Meyers has 22 receptions for 299 yards and zero touchdowns. Aside from Meyers, Julian Edelman continues to be Mr. Clutch.  Newcomer Mohamed Sanu seems to be learning the offense as the season progresses. Veteran Phillip Dorsett has recovered from a concussion. Also, the organization resigned receiver DemaryiusThomas.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         A Healthy Isaiah Wynn  Number one draft pick Isaiah Wynn continues to improve since returning from an early_ season injury.  Wynn provides solid protection along with Joe Thuney for Tom Brady.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Overall, the line provided significant protection for Tom Brady Sunday. After the game,the team announced that center Ted Karras suffered an ankle sprain.                                                                                                                                                           The Season Ahead With four games left, the Patriots are in a dogfight with Baltimore for home _field advantage. One more loss and the club will have to play on the road. For the first time in the Belichick era, the team has to be concerned about the 9-3 Buffalo Bills.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  New England struggled in an early _season win against the Bills. The two teams meet in December.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            After Sunday’s loss, the team released kicker Kei Forbath and activated injured Nick Folk. Folk suffered from an appendectomy two weeks ago. Also, the club claimed defensive tackle, Albert Huggins from the Eagles                                                                                                                                                                                                             

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Why The 2019 Patriots Defense Ranks As Belichick’s Best

After two games of the 2019 NFL season, the Patriots defense has only allowed three points. Yesterday against the Dolphins, the team shut out the fish in Miami. Overall, the defense had seven sacks,four interceptions and two_  picks for six. In this post , we will examine three areas why this year’s Patriots defense ranks as Belichick’s best.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Why the 2019 Patriots                                                                                                                   Depth 

Reason number one is depth. This year’s squad is well stocked at each position. Second_ year players Juwan Bentley and Christian Sam provide speed and energy. Rookies Jo Juan Williams and Chase Winovich have provided significant contributors in the first two games.                               

                                                                                                                                                                             In the season opener against the Steelers, Winovich played the entire game. Since the Patriots  13-3 Super Bowl win the defense has not surrendered a touchdown.

   Energy  This year’s defense has a good mixture of youth and experience. Veterans Devin McCourty, Stephon Gilmore, Kyle Van Noy are good role models for the rookies to look up to. Second_ year linebacker, Jonathan Simon was signed late last season. Simon was an integral figure in the club’s postseason run Cornerbacks Jonathan Jones and JC Jackson have superb in coverage. Both players were undrafted. Jones recently signed a three _year contract

Leadership  Every successful organization needs leadership.  This seasons  Patriots team has plenty of it. Adam Butler, Jamie Collins, Duron Harmon, Patrick Chung, and the McCourty brothers are the leagues best.                                                                                                                                                                                                            If this group can stay healthy, it should rank as Belichicks best. The Patriots stick to the motto Do Your Job and so far that’s just what this defense practices.  Considering the fact, that last year’s coordinator Brian Flores left      for Miami the Patriots have the best defense in the NFL.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           The Season Ahead  The old adage defense wins championships certainly applies to the Patriots. As the team gears up for Super win number seven, the defense depth is the number ingredient to reach the Super Bowl. Barring injuries the 2019 Defense ranks as Belichick’s best.

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Patriots 2019 Offseason Needs

With the Patriots recording their sixth Super Bowl title, the offseason frenzy officially begins. The Patriots who have plenty of cap space have a league _high 12 draft picks awarded to them. Overall, they have six picks in the first three rounds. One first, two seconds and three_ thirds. In this post, we will discuss three areas the team needs to focus on this offseason.

Patriots 2019 Offseason Needs

Draft A Quarterback;  With Tom Brady getting better with age the organization has a four_ year window to develop Brady’s successor. The team’s best bet is to draft a quarterback and have him under team control for five years. Signing a free agent quarterback would be risky as long as Brady stays healthy.

Three quarterbacks who may be available at pick 31  are Brett Rypien of Boise State and Shea Patterson of Michigan. Rypien threw for 10,000 yards passing in four years at Boise State.  Shea Patterson of Michigan may also be available at 31. Patterson impressed scouts as he  65 % of his passes in four years at Michigan. We all know the last quarterback the Patriots took from Michigan in 1999.  Other possibilities may be Daniel Jones of Duke or Jake Browning of Washington.  Jones ‘s stock may drop due to a knee injury he suffered in the second game last season.

Draft A Safety; Just after the Super Bowl veteran Devin McCourty considered retirement. In the past, the Patriots have drafted great safeties such as Patrick Chung and Brandon Meriweather. Some names to keep an eye on are Deionte Thompson of Alabama, Chauncey GardenJohnson of Florida, and Nasir Adderley of Delaware. Out of the three Adderley has the best skill set. Adderley is excellent in zone coverage and is a projected 1st round pick.

Edge Rusher; The Patriots defense ranked 15th in the NFL last year. They  stopped the Rams run game in the Super Bowl. Adding another edge rusher can never hurt. The current linebacking group of Donta Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Trey Flowers, Johnathan Simon, and Elandon Roberts could use an extra body. Some names to keep an eye on are Josh Allen of Kentucky, Nick Bosa of Ohio State, Jachai Polite of Florida. Depending on who is available look for the Patriots to select Josh Allen of Kentucky. Allen finished his career with 224 tackles,15 forced fumbles, and 31 career sacks.

Free Agency; With free agency starting March 1st the Patriots will be searching for a tight end and Receiver help.  Some players who could be available for the right price are Jesse James of the Steelers, Antonio Brown of the Steelers and Antonio Gates of the Chargers. Benjamin Watson of New Orleans is also a possibility. James can play both receiver and tight end.  Depending on Rob Gronkowski’s decision on retirement look for Belichick to stockpile in this department.

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Three Red Flags Concerning The Patriots Going Forward In 2017

 After three weeks of the  2017 football season, the New England Patriots have several red flags that seriously need improvement. Coming off their fifth Super Bowl win this year is no different. New England is an organization that demands excellence.  But their are some areas concerning the team.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Area number one is the pass protection; Last week against the Saints Tom Brady was sacked three times one sack resulted in a fumble ran back for a touchdown. The Patriots have all their lineman returning from a year ago.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Since the season opener against Kansas City, Brady has been under constant pressure. Veteran tackle Nate Solder has been a huge disappointment, so far getting beat on mostly every snap this season.  I f the protection doesn’t get better his days as a Patriot may come to an end.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Special teams has been another area of concern, for New England.  Long time kicker Stephen Gostowski has lost the confidence of the fans,after last years poor playoff performance. Punter Ryan Allen has been sub parr so far this season.  After three games this season Allen has been averaging only 35/40 yards per punt.                                                                                                                                                                                                        Defense has been the biggest disappointment, this season. Normally the Patriots rank close to the top,but this year the team ranks towards the bottom. Safety  Devin McCourty leads the team with 23 solo tackles.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             In the off season the Patriots went out and signed  Buffalo free agent corner Stephon Gilmore. After three games Gilmore has look lost and confused, but does have one interception. Controversial corner back Malcom Butler has been also off  missing several assignments.                                                                                                                                                                       If the defense doesn’t play better, head coach Bill Belicheck may have no choice but to trade some veterans for help up front. Veterans such as Alan Branch and Malcom Butler need to step up if they want to keep their jobs.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             For a team coming off their fifth Super Bowl win the Patriots realize that their are several areas of concern. Bill Belichick will not stand for complacency; With the NFL trade deadline a couple of weeks away Belichick won’t hesitate, to make deals in order to improve the Patriots.

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Pro Footballs’ Next Group Of Elite Quarterbacks

The NFL has produced some of of the greatest quarterbacks ever to wear a football jersey. Football fans have witnessed the birth of Tom Brady, Dan Marino, Ben Rothlisberger, Joe Montana, Bart Starr and Brett Favre to name a few. Lets’ examine a new breed of quarterbacks that maybe considered elite.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       As tough of a game football is getting sacked several times a game is not  easy physically , nor mentally. James Winston is a big physical quarterback who can take the punishment. In three years Winston has started thirty three games. Last year Winston guided the Bucs to a 9-7 record. This season hes’ led the team to a 2-0 record.                                                                                                                                                                                       With an  impressive 29-7 win over the Bears last week, its’ hard to predict if Tampa can keep it up.  The next three weeks will be a big test for Winston. The Bucs will face Minnesota, Green Bay , and New England.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The 1-1 Eagles have an impressive quarterback  in Carson Wentz. In two years Wentz has led the Eagles back to being a fairly respectable team. In his first season 2016 Wentz led the Eagles to a 7-9 record. With proper coaching, Wentz will lead the Eagles hopefully one day to the Super Bowl.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Oakland has a gifted quarterback in Derek Carr. The fourth year starter out of Fresno State, has transformed the Raiders as a legitimate AFC powerhouse. Carr led the Raiders to a 12-4 record in 2016. This year Carr and the Raiders are off to a 2-0 start.                                                                                                                                                                                  Carr  is surrounded by plenty of talent. With two gifted receivers in Amari Cooper and Sammy Watkins, along with Marshaun Lynch the Raiders should be a favorite in the AFC West. Rewarded with a five year 125 million dollar contract look for Carr to take the Raiders to the  AFC championship.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    After a disap[pointing 2016 campaign ,the Rams decided to rebuild and drafted JaredGoff of California Berkley. Goff so far in two starts has led the Rams to a 1-1 record. If Goff can take the punishment of NFL defenses,then the Rams have something to hope for.                                                                                                                                                                                 Predicting which quarterbacks will turn out to be NFL stars is impossible, but as history shows us their is always room for another hero. If these quarterbacks can stay healthy then they should be in the league for a long time. Making the NFL is elite in itself.

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With Ninkovich Retired The Patriots Have Big Shoes To Fill

With NFL training camps officially opened across the league the New England Patriots received some unexpected news last week.Eight year veteran Rob Ninkovich officially announced his retirement.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     With Ninkovich officially retired the next question is who will replace Ninkovich at outside linebacker? In eight years with New England Ninkovich has made three trips to the Super Bowl winning two of them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Not only has he won two of them from 2010 until 2016 Ninkovich played in all sixteen of the Patriots regular season games. That in itself is a pretty impressive milestone.                                                                                                                                                             Whoever does earn  his position it won’t be easy replacing his durability and work ethic. One name to keep an eye on is third year man Trey Flowers. Flowers rose to the occasion last year in the playoffs and had a great Super Bowl.                                                                                                                                                                                   Aside from Flowers look for linebackers Shea McClellin, Kyle Van Noy and Geno Grissom to compete. Newly acquired David Harris and Kony Ealy will provide depth but may not be the solution.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           With just four draft picks in 2016 the Patriots selected two players on defense. Derek Rivers an outside linebacker from Youngstown State was their number three pick. With the fourth pick they selected Deatrich Wise a defensive tackle from Arkansas.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Don’t expect to much from Rivers or Wise maybe with the exception of special teams. Out of the group the best bet to replace Ninkovich is Trey Flowers.                                                                                                                                                                                                      The Patriots should have a good idea who can replace Ninkovich after the final preseason game. Don’t be surprised if the Patriots make some moves during the summer if Belichick isn’t satisfied with what he sees.                                                                                                                                                                                                         One interesting name to keep an eye on is free agent Dwight Freeney. Freeney is thirty seven years old but still has plenty of juice in his legs. Freeney would be a perfect short term fit for two or three years. If the Patriots don’t feel happy with what they have he would certainly be an upgrade .                                                                                                                                                                                No matter which direction the Patriots go in Rob Ninkovich certainly leaves behind an impressive resume three trips to the Super Bowl  and winning two of them not to mention ninety six straight games.