Pats fill out practice sqaud,prepare for opener

The Pats have filled out their 8 man practice squad in the last couple days. They signed back linebacker Tyrone McKenzie and cornerbacks Tony Carter and Prince Miller while releasing tight end Jerod Maneri. This leaves the practice squad with no QB and only two out of the 61 players signed by the team.

The team also is close to signing franchise QB Tommy Brady to a four year extension according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter. The deal is supposedly worth four years and 72 to 80 million. Brady also hit on a number of subjects during his weekly call into WEEI
- He knows Randy Moss better than anyone and he will go out and do his job. He just understands that this game is a business.
- Brady will not watch Hard Knocks and hates how the Jets come across to the public. aka Brady is going to light them up in Week 2.

Also Chad Ochocinco had a conference call with the New England media and was very low key. He expressed his respect for Coach Belichick and refered to him as a close friend.

Also here are my predictions for the coming season as it starts tomorrow night with the Saints and Vikings in a repeat of last season's NFC Championship game.
*-indicates playoff teams
AFC East
1.* New England 11-5
2. *NY Jets 11-5
3.Miami Dolphins 9-7
4. Buffalo Bills 5-11

AFC North
1. *Baltimore Ravens 12-4
2. Cincinnati Bengals 9-7
3. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-9
4. Cleveland Browns 6-10

AFC South
1. *Indianapolis Colts 14-2
2. *Tenessee Titans 9-7
3. Houston Texans 8-8
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 6-10

AFC West(Garbage)
1. *San Diego Chargers 10-6
2. Denver Broncos 9-7
3. Kansas City Chiefs 8-8
4. Oakland Raiders 6-10

NFC East
1. *Dallas Cowboys 11-5
2. NY Giants 10-6
3. Philly Eagles 10-6
4. Washington Redskins 8-8

NFC North
1. *Green Bay Packers 13-3
2. *Minnesota Vikings 11-5
3. Chicago Bears 6-10
4. Detroit Lions 5-11

NFC South
1. *Atlanta Falcons 11-5
2. *New Orleans Saints 11-5
3. Carolina Panthers 8-8
4. Tampa Bay Bucs 6-10

NFC West(also garbage)
1. *San Francisco 49ers 11-5
2. Arizona Cardinals 7-9
3. Seattle Seahwaks 6-10
4. Saint Louis Rams 6-10

Pats continue to fill in practice squad,prepare for Bengals

Patriots' coach Bill "The Hooded One" Belichick continues to fill out his eight man roster. He has signed these six so far:
1. RB Javarris James- undrafted rookie(Miami University), spent camp with Colts
2. TE Jeron Mastrud- undrafted rookie(Kansas State), spent camp with Bucs
3. WR Darnell Jenkins- just missed the 53 man roster and was signed back to the practice squad as soon as he cleared waivers
4. Shawn Crable- second year linebacker(Michigan)released by the team in the beginning of camp after failing his physical but returned in much better shape
5. Sergio Brown- undrafted rookie out of Notre Dame that seemed to be a dynamic special teams player in camp
6. C,G Rich Ohrenberger(Penn State) signed back after having a solid preseason finale against the Giants

- Look for two more to be signed this coming week. One hopefully being Andover,MA native and Brown alum Buddy Farnham

-Sixth round draft pick Ted Larsen has been claimed off the waivers by the Bucs. Larsen was a candidate to come back on the practice squad
- The Pats claimed offensive tackle Steve Maneri off waivers from Houston Texans. Maneri is an undrafted rookie out of Temple and was scouted as both a tight end and tackle.
- Tha Patriots waived linebacker Tyrone McKenzie after he originally made the 53 man roster. Look for him to possible come back as a practice squad player in the next week.
- Patriots' 7th round draft pick Thomas Welch signed with the Vikings' practice squad.
- Also Randy! said he felt not wanted by his current contract in New England. Probably already spent all of the money on ganja. 3 years and 27 million wouldn't make me feel unwanted. He should go hang with Logan(crybaby) Mankins about how they feel disrespected. Sound like a bunch of girls to me
- Also look for Jarvis Green to possibly be signed in the coming days as he was cut by the Broncos and has familiarity in the Patriots system.

Patriots cut 20, place McGowan on IR, trade for 2 others

The Patriots cut 20 yesterday as follows:
WR Sam Aiken - Surprise move shows the team's youth movement on defense and special teams
LB Eric Alexander - Another victim of the youth movement as he showed little promise to help on defense
S Sergio Brown -PQ- Expect Brown to be back on the practice squad if he clears waivers today
LB Derrick Burgess - The big name cut of the day. Was obviously hurt by being late to camp and a bad performance in the final preseason game
OL George Bussey - Got destroyed in the final preseason game no surprise here.
TE Carson Butler - No surpise here the tight end position was full from the beginning of camp
RB Thomas Clayton -PSQ- Showed some promise but could not compete with Benjarvus Green-Ellis
WR Buddy Farnham -PSQ- showed ability to play offense and defense which should land him on the practice squad
WR Darnell Jenkins -PSQ- showed promise and could land on practice squad
OL Ted Larsen -PSQ- played both sides of the ball and could land on practice sqaud
TE Rob Myers - This guy just sucks
OL Rich Ohrnberger -Second year lineman from Penn State never developed as Belichick hoped
WR Rod Owens -PSQ- Owens showed promise and could land on the practice sqaud on a WR loaded team
QB Zac Robinson -PSQ- He really isn't good but most teams with two qbs will keep a third on the practice squad
RB Chris Taylor -had some good moments but not enough to take down a veteran
DB Ross Ventrone - Should be on and off the roster all year unless someone else picks him up
OL Thomas Welch -PSQ- another young lineman who you look to be sticking around in Foxboro
LB Thomas Williams -This guy blows
CB DeAngelo Willingham -PSQ- Could stick with the PSqaud for depth at corner
LB Pierre Woods- lead the team in special teams tackles last year but just couldn't contribute enough at linebacker to make the team.

I out a PSQ next to players I expect to come back on the practice squad if they clear waivers which happens at noon today. The Patriots also place S Brandon McGowan on IR and traded for safeties Jarrad Page and linebacker Tracy White.


Accuracy of my predictions: QB-2/2
RB-5/5
WR-6/6
TE-3/3
OL-8/8
DL-6/7- Did not see Kyle Love making this team right out of camp
OLB-4/4
MLB-3/6 -Struggled here as a i predicted more OLBs to make the team
CB-5/5
S-3/4-4/4- McGowan going on the IR ruins me here but the trade was impossible to predict

Specialists-3/3
Overall 48/53 aint bad.(91%)

Game 4 breakdown ,53 man roster prediction

Game 4 of the preseason was one reserved mostly for bubble players as the deadline approaches to cut the roster down to 53 by 4 P.M. tomorrow and an 8 man practice squad being formed the day after. Rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski had another TD reception showing how crucial he could be in the red zone for Tom Brady this year. Here are some other key notes:

Winners:
1. Rob Ninkovich- Made a strong case for roster spot by being disruptive all game long
2. Rod Owens- Had a 67 yard catch in the third quarter which may help him sneak on the roster or the practice squad.
3. Tyrone McKenzie- was making plays all over the field and looks to be a key special teams player.

Losers:

1. Taylor Price- The rookie from Ohio hasn't showed much this preseason and that didn't change despite multiple opportunities in the finale.

2. Back-up lineman- Hoyer got roughed up last night as these guys seemed to be not pass protecting at all

Now it is my turn to try to make all the decisions for Belichick and see how close I actually get. If I get all 53 right and the 8 man practice squad it will be a miracle since no one can understand how the hooded one thinks.
53 Man Roster predictions

QB-3
1. Tom Brady
2. Brian Hoyer
3. Zac Robinson
RB-5
1. Fred Taylor
2. Laurence Maroney
3. Sammy Morris
4. Kevin Faulk
5. BenJarvus Green- Ellis
WR-7
1. Randy Moss
2. Wes Welker
3. Julian Edelman
4. Taylor Price
5. Brandon Tate
6. Matthew Slater
7. Sam Aiken
TE- 3
1. Alge Crumpler
2. Aaron Hernandez
3. Rob Gronkowski
OL-8
1. Matt Light
2.Sebastian Vollmer
3.Dan Koppen
4. Nick Kazcur
5. Stephen Neal
6.Dan Connolly
7.Mark Levoir
8. Ryan Wendell
DL-7
1. Vince Wilfork
2. Mike Wright
3. Gerard Warren
4.. Mike Wright
5. Myron Pryor
6. Ron Brace
7. Brandon Deadrick
LB-8
1. Tully Banta-Cain
2. Jerod Mayo
3. Rob Ninkovich
4. Derrick Burgess
5. Brandon Spikes
6. Jermaine Cunningham
7. Tyrone McKenzie
8. Pierre Woods
CBs- 5
1. Devin McCourty
2. Darius Butler
3. Jonathan Wilhite
4. Terrence Wheatley
5. Kyle Arrington
S- 4
1. Brandon Meriweather
2. Pat Chung
3. James Sanders
4. Brandon McGowan

K- Stephen Gostkowski
P- Zoltan Mesko

LS- 1
Jake Ingram

8 man practice squad
1. Rod Owens WR
2. Chris Taylor RB
3. Sergio Brown S
4. Eric Alexander LB
5. Buddy Farnham WR,S
6. Thomas Welch Ol,DL
7. Ted Larsen OL,DL
8. Marques Murrell OLB

Patriots place Bodden, 3 others on IR, cut one other

The Patriots placed number one corner Leigh Bodden on IR yesterday as one of their five roster moves to bring the 80 man roster down to 75. The Pats also place defensive lineman Darryl Richard(foot) and reserve safeties Bret Lockett(chest) and Josh Barrett(shoulder). The Pats also waived rookie cornerback Terrence Johnson who was a long shot to make the roster.

Also out of Foxboro today, Matt Light told reporters to expect a solid effort with plenty of passion in Tomorrow night's preseason finale. The Patriots did not perform well in their last preseason game and tomorrow will be a test to see how they respond even though the starters are not expected to play long. The last game is usually reserved mostly for guys on the bubble to make the 53 man roster Saturday at 4p.m.


Stay tuned in the coming days for my 53 man roster prediction and preseason game 4 recap.