Youngsters Coming Up Big
The New England Patriots staff must be absolutely thrilled with the impact the young players are having just four games into the season.
Lets start on the offensive side of the ball. In the last two offseasons the Patriots have picked up RB Stevan Ridley and RB Brandon Bolden and we’re not even factoring in the other RB Shane Vereen.
After a bit of a skittish rookie season where he had trouble holding onto the ball, Ridley is on the verge of potential stardom. After 4 weeks the second year back out of LSU has carried the rock 74 times for 339 yards (4.6 ypc) and 3 TD’s. He has also caught the ball 5 times for 51 yards.
Bolden, the undrafted rookie free agent out of Ole Miss, had his breakout game on Sunday when he ran for 137 yards and a TD on 16 carries. For the season he has 23 carries for 152 yards and 2 TD’s. He also has 1 catch for 11 yards.
Other young guys on the offense that have made contributions are the record setting tight end duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, as well as T Nate Solder and G Marcus Cannon on the offensive line. Solder as a starter and Cannon as a sub.
On the defensive side of the ball 3rd year player CB Devin McCourty, who is a two-time team captain, has come back to his rookie season form and has been playing some very tight coverage. After a bit of a down year in 2011, McCourty has stepped up with 23 tackles (18 solo), 2 INT’s and 6 passes defensed. He has had tremendous back-to-back games defensively even if his penalty cost the Patriots in Baltimore.
LB Brandon Spikes, who came in 2010, is now a starter and is second on the team in tackles with 25 (14 solo), 2 QB hits, 2 forced fumbles and 1 pass defensed and is now developing into the player they thought he’d be.
Take those two and add solid rookies DE Chandler Jones, LB Dont’a Hightower and S Tavon Wilson and the defense is turning the corner and growing each week. This defense has the potential to be absolutely devastating over the next few seasons.
Jones has 18 tackles (8 solo), 2 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles and 4 QB hits. He is proving to be the pass rushing force off the edge that the team needed to help aid DE Rob Ninkovich.
Hightower, a member of Alabama’s National Championship team last season, is as solid as 2008 first rounder Jerod Mayo. Hightower has 20 tackles (17 solo), 1 sack, 1 QB hit and 1 fumble recovery for a TD. And you can see why Bill Belichick loves those SEC linebackers.
The most surprising to me of the rookies has been Wilson who has some really good ballhawking skills. Everytime something is going on and a ball is in play Wilson seems to be in the area. He has 9 tackles (7 solo), 2 INTs, 3 passes defensed, 1 fumble recovery and he has contributed on special teams as well with a pair of tackles.
The team needed to infuse some youth and in the last three seasons they have done just that and the youngsters are paying huge dividends.
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Offensive Line Steps Up
With the absence of G Logan Mankins the offensive line, which has been a huge topic of discussion, needed to step up and protect QB Tom Brady. And step up they did. They only allowed Brady to be sacked once and hit 3 times on Sunday at the Ralph. Compare this to the Week 3 game in Baltimore when he was sacked twice and hit 6 times and in Week 2 when he was sacked four times and hit 6 times by Arizona.
In addition to giving Brady time and keeping him upright the line was the key to the running game which gained 247 yards on the ground on 40 carries and had two 100 yard rushers for the first time since 1982.
It was good to see them come through when the team needed a huge effort from them. The next two weeks should be challenges for them against two good defensive teams in Denver and Seattle.
News and Notes
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick conducted his day after media briefing. (patriots.com)
QB Tom Brady had his weekly Patriots Monday radio chat on Monday morning. (WEEI)
Offensive snaps by skill players vs. Ravens (ESPN Boston)
Defensive snaps played vs. Baltimore (ESPN Boston)
Spikes becomes a difference maker (ESPN Boston)
Bill Belichick can’t say enough about the offensive line (ESPN Boston)
Brady a calming influence (Boston Herald)
Patriots stick to the ground game (Boston Herald)
McCourty picks it up (Boston Herald)
Spikes, defense drops the hammer (Boston Herald)
Best and Worst of Patriots at Bills (Boston Herald)
The morning after (Boston Globe)
Five takeaways from Patriots-Bills (Boston Globe)
Running game answers the challenge (Boston Globe)
The Patriots became just the second team in NFL history to have a game with a 300-yard passer (Brady), two 100-yard rushers (Bolden/Ridley) and two 100-yard receivers (Welker/Gronkowski). The other team was the Green Bay Packers in 2008.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft received the George Halas award at halftime.
New England went over 50 points for 9th time in team history.
The Patriots 45-second half points are the most in the second half since Cincinnati scored 42 in 1972.
New England’s 24-point win is the largest in NFL history by a team trailing by 14 or more points in the second half.
The Patriots lead the series 63-41-1
The 63 wins are the most the Patriots have over any opponent.
New England is 54-15 vs. the AFC East since 2001.
Since 2000 the Patriots have an NFL best 65-34 road record.
Bill Belichick passed Chuck Knox, who coached the Rams, Bills and Seahawks for 8th on the all-time wins list with 194.
Belichick coached teams are 22-4 vs. Buffalo. Belichick was 0-1 against the Bills as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.
Tom Brady is 19-2 vs. the Bills in his career.
Brady (3,498) moved past Kerry Collins (3,487) into 10th place all-time on the NFL’s all-time completion list.
Brady (41,206) moved past Kerry Collins (40,922) into 11th place all-time on the NFL’s all-time passing list.
WR Wes Welker now has catches in 105 consecutive games including playoffs, 88 as a Patriot. The last time Welker did not have a catch in a game was 12/24/05 as a Dolphin.
DE Rob Ninkovich and LB Brandon Spikes led the team in tackles on Sunday they each had 7.
CB Devin McCourty had 2 INTs against Buffalo they were his first two picks of the season. LB Jerod Mayo and rookie S Tavon Wilson also each had 1 INT.
Both teams each fumbles the ball three times and lost it twice. It was the Patriots first two fumbles lost on the season.
The Patriots sacked Buffalo QB Ryan Fitzpatrick 3 times, while allowing Brady to be sacked once.
New England’s defense had four tackles for loss for 11 yards.
The Patriots offense churned out 33 first downs (19 rushing, 13 passing and 1 by penalty) while the defense allowed 19 first downs by the Bills (4 rushing and 15 passing).
New England’s turnover differential is PLUS 8. The defense has recovered 5 fumble and has 6 INT. The offense has given away 2 fumbles and has 1 INT.
The Patriots were 5 for 6 in the red zone. They had 5 TDs and 1 FG. Buffalo was 0 for 1 (0%) in the red zone with 1 fumble.
New England was 4 for 11 (36%) on third down conversions and 0 for 0 on 4th down attempts. The Bills were 8 for 15 (53%) on 3rd down conversions and 0 for 0 on 4th down attempts.
With the return of the officials there were only 4 accepted penalties in the game, 1 on New England and 3 on Buffalo. Against Baltimore the teams combined for 24 accepted penalties.
Next Week
The Patriots host the Denver Broncos next Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro MA. Kick off is at 4:25 p.m. on CBS.
Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII
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Johnston, a 6-0, 180-pound native of Rosetown Saskatchewan, turned pro at the end of last season, going scoreless in three games with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. That was after Johnston completed a four-year college career at Ferris State University (CCHA). Johnston, 25, led the Bulldogs in points and goals, with 20 goals and 16 assists for 36 points, along with 52 penalty minutes, in 43 games. He also finished second among CCHA skaters in goals, and sixth in the league in points.
