Patriots News for the week of 8/25

[The_Philster]

Please post Patriots News here

[The_Philster]

J.R. Redmond thought he was going to get back on the field in the final exhibition game against the Chicago Bears and then make his bid for a Patriots roster spot, but he won't get that opportunity.

Redmond, who was released by the team yesterday, had missed the past few weeks with bruised ribs, but had returned to practice last week. When he didn't play against the Philadelphia Eagles Friday night, it didn't really hit him that this might be the end. But yesterday morning the 2000 third-round draft pick, who helped the team win its Super Bowl, was gone.

"You're never prepared for it," said Redmond. "It took me by surprise, but maybe I can go somewhere and start over and have a chance to prove myself. This happens to a lot of players. I have confidence in myself. I think if I can stay healthy and I get a consistent chance to be out there, I can run the football. I've been doing that all my life."...
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[The_Philster]

FOXBOROUGH -- No matter how much hype the Patriots' defense gets before it plays a regular-season game, cornerback Ty Law isn't biting.

He doesn't buy the notion that the Philadelphia Eagles are not going to be an elite team based on their performance in a loss to the Patriots Friday night, and it means little to him that New England is 3-0 in the exhibition season. Nine years into the league, Law knows better. While some in the media upgrade predictions for the team's win total, Law shakes his head.

"I don't fall for that hype," said Law. "Once the season starts, you'll be seeing the real Brian Dawkins and Troy Vincent. You'll be seeing Donovan McNabb play a whole lot better. In some of those plays, if it was the regular season, he'd be running. We're not naive about that stuff, believe me."...

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[Ickybaluky]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ons/index.html

1. Which team is wrapping up the league's best preseason?

Answer: If the preseason is all about getting questions answered and needs addressed, it's hard to argue that anyone has covered more ground than New England, which also has the added bonus of being one of the NFL's five preseason unbeatens.

When the Patriots acquired veteran nose tackle Ted Washington from the Bears last week in exchange for a 2004 fourth-round pick, it completed in grand fashion the defensive makeover that New England began this off-season. Much of what happens in August is hard to quantify, but here's a statistic that has some meaning: New England has shut out all three of its opponents in the opening quarter thus far, building leads of 10-0, 13-0 and 10-0 when it was No. 1's against No. 1's. The Patriots much-improved D has forced five turnovers in those three quarters.

With Big Ted clogging up the middle of Bill Belichick's 3-4 defense, the Patriots defensive line is dramatically better against the run, as well as both versatile and deep. Richard Seymour, first-round pick Ty Warren, Willie McGinest, Bobby Hamilton and even fourth-rounder Dan Klecko all will have roles that vary from down to down and package to package in Belichick's unconventional system.

At linebacker, Rosevelt Colvin is the new centerpiece and his addition takes a quality group and makes it outstanding. But the biggest surprise has been in the secondary, where rookie cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Eugene Wilson have quickly emerged as reliable play-makers. Samuel's coverage skills made veteran Otis Smith expendable, and Wilson also has shown the knack for consistently being around the ball.

Some remain worried that veteran safety Rodney Harrison, another new face, will be exposed in coverage, but Harrison seems motivated by his departure from San Diego and intent on proving he's more than just a good run defender and hard hitter. In the Patriots' cover-two scheme, both Harrison and fellow safety Lawyer Milloy will think coverage first.

On offense, the Patriots' running game still has some issues, as Kevin Faulk, providing he can get his fumbling under control, looks ready to take over the lead-back duties from the indecisive Antowain Smith.

But the passing game has been in sync, and quarterback Tom Brady has had an excellent tune-up, completing 26-of-46, for 318 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions and a 114.2 quarterback rating in three games.

Tennessee is the other AFC team that has every right to feel good about itself this preseason, as do Tampa Bay and Carolina in the NFC. But nobody looks more primed for the regular season than the Patriots, who spent the past six months deftly filling in holes left over from their disappointing 2002.