Top Games to Watch in ‘09

With the 2009 NFL schedule recently released, it looks as if the New England Patriots will have their work cut out for them starting immediately this fall. The Pats are set to open the 2009 NFL season with a battle against Terrell Owens and his newfound Buffalo Bills, and this is one season opener that football fans across the country will likely drop everything to watch, as both Tom Brady and T.O. have something to prove. Brady will open the season against one of the worst pass-rushing teams of the year in 2008, showing Pats fans (and haters alike) that he’s the same all-star quarterback after months of rehabilitation, while Terrell Owens will have to perform well enough to back up his enormous contract.

The Patriots-Bills season opener is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, but there are other huge games on the Pats’ schedule for this year, as well, including a much-anticipated duel with Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in Week 10 of regular season play. As always, the nationally televised Patriots-Colts showdown will draw huge crowds, and this year’s Pats-Colts battle will be another tough one, as the game is once again in Indianapolis. Will Peyton Manning destroy the rehabilitated Tom Brady in stats, or will the Patriots avenge their 15-18 loss against the Colts from last year? All this and more is coming up in the 2009 NFL season, so dust off that No. 12 jersey and get ready for some football!

To get New England Patriots tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on April 16, 2009 - Post a comment

2009 NFL Schedule Released

No matter whom the New England Patriots draft next week, the team is almost guaranteed to continue the dynasty Bill Belichick started several years ago. With Tom Brady back in action and several new players on the lineup (including Julius Peppers? We’ll see about that…), the Patriots are the team to watch in 2009, and the NFL released the league’s full schedule this week, giving Pats fans a chance to see what’s ahead for the big red and blue this season.

The Patriots will battle the Eagles, Bengals, Redskins and Giants in the preseason leading up to September 14, when the Pats will square off against the Buffalo Bills in the season opener and one of four nationally televised games during the regular season. Other nationally televised Patriots games in 2009 include the Sunday night NBC broadcasts at Indianapolis vs. the Colts on November 15 and at Miami vs. the Dolphins on December 6. New England will also have a nationally televised game at New Orleans vs. the Saints on Monday, November 30 that will be broadcast on ESPN. The rest of the Patriots’ 2009 schedule is available from their website.

To get New England Patriots tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on April 15, 2009 - Post a comment

Patriots Shop for Linemen

Even without Mike Vrabel in the picture, the New England Patriots are looking strong on the defensive side this year, as linebackers Tedy Bruschi, Jerod Mayo and Adalius Thomas are all gearing up for another stellar season on the field at Gillette Stadium. Defensive linemen Richard Seymour and Ty Warren are also back and out for blood, yet the Pats’ recruiting trends lately seem to suggest that Bill Belichick is still shopping around for blockers and tacklers – both defensively and offensively.

Recently, the Patriots have hosted Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith, who is scheduled to work out with the team this week. Smith is one of the top O-linemen in the crop for this month’s draft, and while the 6’4”, 330-pound player may not be as valuable as others like Jason Smith, Eugene Monroe, Michael Oher, Eben Britton or William Beatty, but by the time the Patriots get their first pick in the draft he may be what’s left of the top of the pack.

The Pats have also reportedly been in contact with defensive lineman Evander “Ziggy” Hood. The 6’3”, 300-pound Missouri lineman is projected to be a first round draft pick, and he has also been scheduled for a pre-draft visit with the Patriots.

To get New England Patriots tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on April 14, 2009 - Post a comment

Bruschi Leading Tedy’s Team to Finish Line

While most of the players and coaches around the NFL are spending these next couple weeks gearing up for the NFL Draft, one player in the league is getting ready for a challenge of an entirely different caliber. Tedy Bruschi, an all-star linebacker and 14-year veteran with the New England Patriots, will be busy spending the next week with Tedy’s Team, a group of runners he’s assembled that will tackle the Boston Marathon on April 20, 2009.

Tedy’s Team works in conjunction with the American Stroke Association, which Bruschi has been an avid supporter of since 2005, when the linebacker suffered a stroke at the age of 31. Bruschi is now dedicated to raising money and awareness for the American Stroke Association, and Tedy’s Team is just one way he contributes to the cause.
Bruschi is a San Francisco native and was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft out of Arizona. Tedy Bruschi has been a dominating force on the Pats’ roster for the last 14 seasons, having led the team in tackles numerous times.

To get New England Patriots tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on April 13, 2009 - Post a comment

Back on Taylor Watch

Will Jason Taylor be suiting up in Patriots gear in the upcoming weeks like so many rumors have suggested or will he seek refuge in his old home with the Miami Dolphins? According to recent news reports, the ex-Redskins player and all-time sack leader with the Dolphins has been talking to Miami about a possible return, yet nothing has been solidified yet. The Dolphins are looking for young talent to help rebuild the team, so this could be a hindering factor in whether or not Taylor returns to South Florida, but it seems as if Taylor does indeed have a desire to play for Miami once again.

Last week, Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland made a statement saying the team would not sign Taylor at least until the draft when the coaches see how Miami’s roster is playing out, but leaving him at limbo for that long also gives the Patriots a chance to swoop in on the defensive end, if they so desire.

If Jason Taylor doesn’t head back to Miami for next year, chances are he will end up with the Patriots. Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter recently made a statement urging Miami to sign Taylor before the Pats can snatch him, saying, “Hopefully, we can get [Jason] in before he makes that trip out to New England because you really don’t want to have to play against him twice a year.”

To get New England Patriots tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on April 10, 2009 - Post a comment

White Back in New England

On March 23, we reported that Pat White, the star quarterback from West Virginia and high draft prospect, worked out with the New England Patriots. White’s combined skills and versatility in both running and throwing have gained him attention as either a quarterback or wide receiver, which could help fill some voids in the Pats’ lineup now that Matt Cassel has left the ranks of Bill Belichick and Co. While nothing will obviously be worked out until the upcoming NFL Draft, it seems as if the Patriots are very interested in Pat White, as he is supposedly scheduled for another visit to New England next week.

Yesterday, White was scheduled to work out with the Philadelphia Eagles, making a pit stop in New England on April 13-14 to have another visit with the Patriots. There’s no doubt that White will be a hot commodity in this year’s draft, so now the only question remaining comes to who will actually get him once the draft rolls around. The Patriots have the number 23 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, so perhaps White will suit up in Patriots blue and red, after all.

To get New England Patriots tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on April 9, 2009 - Post a comment

Wilfork Hosts Draft Party

We all know Vince Wilfork can make a tackle like nobody’s business, but can this 6’2”, 325-pound defensive lineman throw an epic party? People in Milford, Massachusetts are soon to find out, as Wilfork is hosting a Draft Party on April 25 during the NFL Draft. The sixth annual Vince Wilfork Draft Day Fundraiser Party will commence at Milford’s Pinz Entertainment from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will be an afternoon of anticipation and celebration as the league’s teams select their newest crops of players from the yearly talent pool.

Wilfork’s annual Draft Party gala is all in support of the Diabetes Research Institute as a tribute to his father, who passed away in 2002 from complications with diabetes. Proceeds from the Wilfork extravaganza on Draft Day go to diabetes research with the Vince Wilfork Foundation earmarked for the Research Institute.

Vince Wilfork started his NFL Draft Day fundraiser in 2004, allowing football fans the opportunity to spend one of the most exciting football days of the year with league players while also helping an important cause. Wilfork’s fundraiser has raised almost $200,000 since its inception, and this year’s celebration is expected to make even more.

To get New England Patriots tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on April 8, 2009 - Post a comment

Is Harrison In or Out?

It’s hard to tell as of right now, but by June 1 the entire football realm will know whether or not Rodney Harrison will be back for one more season in the saddle with the New England Patriots. The two-time Pro Bowl safety has been slow to make his way back onto the football field after enduring a torn quadriceps muscle in 2008 that left him benched for the rest of the season, and most Patriots fans thought 2008 would be the last year for Harrison to suit up in Patriots red and blue. Not announcing his retirement yet, however, Harrison recently told the media he would have a decision on whether or not he would be playing in 2009 by June 1.

If Rodney Harrison does retire from the NFL, he will likely join other star athletes on TV as a football analyst. America got a little preview of this last year as Harrison tested the television waters doing stints during last year’s playoffs and Super Bowl telecasts with both the NFL Network and NBC Sports, and it’s looking like this is a healthy alternative to playing another year if Harrison’s injury is still hampering his rehabilitation.

36-year-old Harrison is currently a free agent, so if he chooses to come back for one more year he could join a team other than the Patriots. There is speculation that Harrison could go to the Atlanta Falcons, but it’s all relatively in the air at this point.

To get New England Patriots tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on April 7, 2009 - Post a comment

Patriots Prepare for 2009 Draft

It’s finally April, which means that the upcoming NFL Draft is finally coming into sight. With the recent buzz about QB Jay Cutler going to Chicago, the pressure is finally off the rumored Julius Peppers trade, and now all eyes are on the upcoming draft. The Patriots don’t have a first round selection until the 23rd overall pick, but expect this football powerhouse to come out with some gems from the draft regardless, as the team has six picks from the first 97 overall.

When it comes to the NFL Draft with Bill Belichick, the famed coach knows how to pick ‘em. We all know the story of how Belichick struck gold with his sixth round QB pick in 2000, and that’s not all. In 2008, the Pats surprised some football fans by going for a linebacker in the first round of the draft, scooping up Jerod Mayo out of Tennessee in what has proven to be a genius pick. The Patriots also acquired CB Terrence Wheatley in the second round (62nd overall), LB Shawn Crable (78th) and QB Kevin O’Connell (94th) in round three, CB Jonathan Wilhite in round four (129th), WR Matt Slater in round five (153rd) and LB Bo Ruud in the sixth round (197th) in the 2008 NFL Draft, and this year’s draft promises more of the same success.

To get New England Patriots tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on April 6, 2009 - Post a comment

Pats Finalize Preseason Schedule

The New England Patriots may not yet know who exactly will fill the team’s lineup come August as the NFL Draft is still being eagerly anticipated, but as of yesterday the Pats are sure what teams to expect in the preseason and the start of the regular season in 2009. The Patriots’ preseason schedule was announced yesterday on the team’s website, and New England will open its ’09 season on August 13 at Philadelphia in a preseason duel against the Eagles. The Pats will then play their first home game on August 20 in a preseason game against Cincinnati, and the team’s first nationally televised preseason game in 2009 will occur August 28 when the Patriots take on the Redskins at Washington. Rounding out the preseason schedule, New England will host the New York Giants on September 3.

While this preseason schedule is enough to get New England Patriots fans riled up and excited for the 2009 season, the team has also posted its first two regular season games on the website, as well, giving a sneak peek into Tom Brady’s comeback season. The Pats will open their 2009 season on September 14 in a battle against Buffalo, next traveling to Wembley Stadium in London to play the Tampa Bay Bucs on October 25. While the rest of the team’s regular season schedule has yet to be released, it has been announced that New England will host the Dolphins, Jets, Falcons, Ravens, Panthers, Jaguars and Titans at Gillette Stadium, giving Pats fans something to look forward to this season!

To get New England Patriots tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on April 3, 2009 - Post a comment


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