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2004 Season Click here for entire Bruschi Article Archive
Training Camp Positional Analysis: Linebackers
Over the
course of the coming weeks Patriots.com will take a look at the
position-by-position roster battles that fans can expect to see when training
camp kicks off on July 29 at Gillette Stadium. Phifer increased his tackle total for the third-straight
season, finishing third on the team with 133 stops after registering a team-high
109 in 2002. Since he joined New England after spending his previous 10 seasons
with the Rams and Jets, Phifer is the Patriots leading tackler with 334 over the
last three seasons. Also in the middle for the Patriots is 10th-year player
Ted Johnson (6-4, 253), who was a second-round pick in 1995 and has spent
his entire career with the team. Johnson was limited to eight games in 2003
because of a broken foot suffered in the opener, but made two starts and
registered 26 tackles. One of the biggest acquisitions by the Patriots in recent
years was Colvin, who signed as an unrestricted free agent from the Chicago
Bears prior to the 2003 season. Colvin (6-3, 250) was expected to step in as a
starter at outside linebacker after registering 21 sacks the previous two
seasons, but suffered a fractured hip in the second game of the season and was
placed on injured reserve following season-ending surgery. Colvin took part in
mini-camp, but uncertainty surrounds his official status – not if he will
return, but rather when – as he prepares for training camp.
7/23/04 Patriots feel Super with 'extra ingredient' Dillon By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY The defending champion New England Patriots could look to be almost unstoppable after adding three-time Pro Bowl running back Corey Dillon as they open the NFL season on a 15-game winning streak and try to win their third Super Bowl in four years. Then again, looks are deceiving in the parity-driven NFL, where the poor grow rich overnight and the mighty can tumble.New England knows both scenarios. The Patriots went from last to first in the AFC East in winning their first Super Bowl in 2001, missed the playoffs the following season at 9-7, then reasserted themselves last year. Memories of their crash should help the Patriots avoid another fall as much as the coaching acumen of Bill Belichick, two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback Tom Brady and a defense that permitted a league-low 238 points. Even a potentially disruptive scenario has been avoided with cornerback Ty Law, displeased about his contract situation, ready to go to work. "In some ways, you can get fat and happy," Brady said. "But I think that's really the lesson we learned. Not that we didn't think we were working hard a couple of years ago, but I think we realize how much harder we're going to have to work." Linebacker Tedy Bruschi says: "I think we can look at that experience and say that we sort of know what it's like now because I think there was not a man on that (2002) team who had ever defended a Super Bowl championship. Now there's a bunch of us on the team, and I think that experience will help."
The Denver Broncos of quarterback John Elway and running back Terrell Davis were the last to win consecutive championships, in 1998 and 1999. The Dallas Cowboys, powered by quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith and wideout Michael Irvin, were the last to win three times in a four-year span, from 1993-96. That New England has the opportunity to do something extraordinary is not lost on the veterans who report to Gillette Stadium on July 29 for training camp. San Francisco, Dallas, Denver and New England are the only franchises with multiple Super Bowl titles the past 15 years. Aikman cites the league's remarkable balance in explaining why he believes the Patriots can surpass his Cowboys in excellence. "If they go on to win three of four, to me it would be a more significant accomplishment because they would be in more dogfights than we were in," Aikman says. "We could go out and not play great and still win. If you don't go out and play well in today's NFL, you will not win a lot of games." Game-by-game-by-game Bruschi contemplates the history that can be made and says, "It would be incredible. It's just not done any more. You think of the great teams in previous decades — the Niners, the Cowboys, the Steelers. ... We hope to be one of those teams. How do you have that? You have to win the Super Bowl. And our formula ...is taking it game by game." That's the game-by-game focus ingrained by Belichick, who was already at work while vacationing on Cape Cod. "Whether we won 15 in a row or didn't win 15 in a row," he says, "nobody cares about that now, certainly not Indianapolis." The reference is to the regular-season opener. The Patriots, who picked off Peyton Manning four times in bouncing the Colts 24-14 in the AFC Championship game in January, host them Sept. 9, a Thursday night, to kick off the season. Still, Belichick knows the Patriots are 40-14 over the past three seasons and addressed their only major weakness, at running back, by acquiring Dillon from Cincinnati for a second-round draft choice. "I'm respectful of it," Belichick says of the team's recent history, "but I don't want to dwell on it." History is filled with powers that toppled for reasons other than talent. "Before you've had success, it's easier to put the team first," says Aikman, now a Fox analyst. "As you have success, individuals want more of the credit. Just look at the Los Angeles Lakers." Will Dillon be worth the gamble? Aikman is convinced the Cowboys' plunge could have been averted. "The demise of our team had nothing to do with lack of talent," he says. "As an organization, we lost sight of what it took for certain achievements. I don't think we worked as hard on the back end as we did to get there. As an organization, you get complacent." Not New England. Executive of the year Scott Pioli and coach of the year Belichick moved aggressively to land Dillon before the draft, allowing them to seek to bolster other areas with rookies. Dillon represents a gamble. At his best, he is a Cadillac among running backs. He rushed for 8,061 yards and 45 touchdowns in seven seasons for Cincinnati. He averaged 1,253 yards his first six years before injuries to his groin and hip contributed to a career-low 541 rushing yards and two touchdowns last season. At his worst, the 6-1, 225-pounder has potential to be disruptive. He once said he "would rather flip burgers" than play for the losing Bengals, only to sign a one-year, $3 million deal. He never appeared to be swept up in the enthusiasm new coach Marvin Lewis brought to the Bengals in elevating them to 8-8 last year. After a season-ending loss to Cleveland, Dillon flipped his helmet, cleats and shoulder pads into the stands at Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium and emptied his locker the next day. With Rudi Johnson ready to replace him for the Bengals, Dillon was widely shopped before the deal was struck — on Patriots Day — for the 56th overall draft choice. Dillon, who was never part of a winning team in Cincinnati, met with New England's management before the transaction was completed. He convinced them he will embrace the team concept they insist on and backed it up by agreeing to restructure the final two years of his contract to create salary-cap room. In exchange, he was given incentives that include $100,000 for 700 rushing yards, $375,000 for 1,000 yards and $500,000 for 1,600 yards. His career high: 1,435 yards, in 2000. That sacrifice persuaded owner Robert Kraft that the possible huge reward justified the risk. "The fact that a player of that caliber was willing to come to the team and adjust his salary and have a chance to make it on incentives, that seems like a team kind of guy to me," Kraft says. Dillon worked hard and said the right things at June minicamp. He said he was "an extra ingredient in this pie" and added, "These guys have been there and done that. I just want to go out there and help them get another one." Brady is excited about the possibilities for a running game that ranked 27th among 32 teams. "I think Corey expects to have a great year," Brady says. "Judging from what he's done in minicamps, hopefully it looks as good in the fall as it has the last couple of months." Team chemistry the strength Law, a key figure in the team's success because of his ability to blanket the finest receivers in man-to-man coverage, also appears back in the fold after a tumultuous offseason. Displeased that he had not received a contract extension, he accused Belichick of being a liar and hinted he might boycott training camp by saying, "We all gotta eat." But a well-fed Law was suddenly back after meeting with his coach and participating in minicamp. "We're world champs," Law said then, "so you can't be upset or mad too long." New England's greatest strength under Belichick has been its team chemistry. "They are really the blueprint of a team," New York Jets coach Herman Edwards says. "They get all of their players to understand what they need to do to be successful, and that's why they are successful." It is almost unthinkable that New England will be faced with as much adversity as last season, when injuries cost starters 103 games and Brady fought through a shoulder problem that required offseason surgery. Sidelined starters included a prized free agent, linebacker Rosevelt Colvin, due back from a broken hip. "That team was truly a team," Belichick says. "They had a lot of respect and feeling for each other. They performed very unselfishly. We won 15 games in a row and really, no players stepped up and tried to take credit for it. I thought that was a great thing." Can that esprit de corps be re-created? "Every year is different. I don't think you can orchestrate chemistry," Belichick says. "You can't tell people what their relationships are going to be or how they are going to feel about each other." Former Denver tight end Shannon Sharpe, who retired to join CBS as a commentator, likes New England's prospects for repeating. "They have the best chance to do it since we did it," he says. "They have their offensive (Charlie Weis) and defensive (Romeo Crennel) coordinators back, and they've got Tom Brady. "Right now, you'd be hard-pressed to show me a quarterback better than Tom Brady. All he does is win. All he does is win Super Bowls." Kraft is not holding out yet another Super Bowl triumph as a benchmark for success. He is intent on avoiding the finish of 2002 and advancing to the postseason and a shot at winning it all. "I'll be really down," the owner says, "if we don't make the playoffs." Contributing: David Leon Moore
By Glen Farley, Enterprise staff writer FOXBORO — Members of the New England Patriots say they're ready to ring in a new year. "It's time to rest this (the 2003 championship)," veteran tight end Christian Fauria said, "and start working on getting another one." That work officially begins Thursday when members of the defending Super Bowl champions report to Gillette Stadium for the start of their second training camp at the state-of-the-art facility they have called their home since 2002. "It's one brick at a time," said place-kicker Adam Vinatieri, whose right foot put championship rings on the Patriots' hands in 2001 and 2003. "We've got a long ways to go before the house is built." Perhaps, but the foundation is still standing. "I think the older group of guys that we have know how to work," said quarterback Tom Brady, who is entering his fifth year in New England. "The veterans come in and we want to get stuff done. The older guys have to show how to do it and how to win games." The holdovers from last year's team are responsible for a 15-game winning skein the Patriots will carry into their Sept. 9 regular-season opener with the Indianapolis Colts in a rematch of the 2003 AFC Championship Game at Gillette. That streak, the two rings and a cumulative record of 40-14 over the past three years could all be pretty heady stuff for the sons of Bill Belichick. "Believe me, Bill knows how to keep our heads on straight and what to focus on," ninth—year veteran linebacker Tedy Bruschi said, downplaying the potential for a post-Super Bowl letdown, "and our focus is on Sept. 9." If nothing else, a number of these Patriots have past experience to fall back on: Thirty-seven of them were members of the 2002 squad that followed a Super Bowl XXXVI campaign by failing to qualify for the playoffs as Belichick's team took a step back before stepping back up last year. "Any time you have success, I think there's a tendency to be satisfied," said safety Rodney Harrison, who joined the Patriots last year following his release after nine seasons in San Diego. "I think the guys learned from the previous Super Bowl not to be content." "It's a process of laying brick by brick on the foundation and making sure you have a solid foundation going into the season, then being able to play well and execute in competitive situations during the year," Belichick summarized. "We executed to a 9-7 level in 2002. What our level will be this year, I don't think anybody knows and it would be hard to predict. You have to go through the same process to get to that point and then you have to play well when you have your opportunity in the regular season. I don't see the process changing too much." The cast of characters hasn't changed a whole lot since the Patriots closed the 2003 season with a 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Granted, the starting defensive and offensive lines have taken weighty hits. Nose tackle Ted Washington and defensive end Bobby Hamilton both relocated to Oakland and guard-center Damien Woody took the free-agent route to Detroit. Antowain Smith, a running back, who just signed with Tennessee, was serviceable enough to help carry the team to its two titles, but was released. However, there is still a large carryover from the starting lineup that Belichick put on the field last season. In fact, with former Cincinnati Bengals problem child Corey Dillon acquired via a trade on, of all days, Patriots Day, it would appear there has been a major upgrade in that department. If that's one step up, the punting game (former Pittsburgh Steelers Josh Miller is in; frequent shanker Ken Walter is out) should be another. The team has added youth and, it would like to think, talent, at tight end, wide receiver, the defensive line and secondary as well. Armed with two first-round picks, the Patriots tabbed Washington's successor in mammoth University of Miami defensive lineman Vince Wilfork and added another young tight end to the mix in Georgia's Benjamin Watson. "We have to defend our title," defensive end Jarvis Green said, "and we have the potential to do bigger things." But along with that potential comes the bull's-eye they wear on their backs, the product of a past that includes 12 straight regular-season victories, five shy of the all-time NFL record of 17 set by the 1933-34 Chicago Bears. "It's a 'What have you done for me lately?' business, as it should be," said inside linebacker Ted Johnson. "People are going to be gunning for us." "Expectations are always high for this football team," said Richard Seymour, at the age of 25 already a two-time Pro Bowl selection in the Patriots' defensive line. "I think we set the standard for what we want to be. Anything less than that is unacceptable." "It's all about eliminating bad football and playing well and playing smart," said Vinatieri. "Obviously, teams are going to give you their best effort when you're the defending champions. We know that. We know we have to play well." Falling short of that, the 2004 Patriots risk developing into the second coming of the 2002 Pats, becoming just another in the cluster of NFL non-playoff teams. "We went through that in '01 and it wasn't a good feeling not making the playoffs after winning the Super Bowl," outside linebacker Roman Phifer said. "We're aware of that and more in tune with not letting that happen again. Everyone's trying to keep a tight focus and Coach Belichick has emphasized that." "Hopefully, it will be a long ride," said four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law, who after an offseason of discontent over his contract status, appears to be a happy camper once again, "and it can end up like last year."
Colvin main
question
Sixth in a series
of positional breakdowns as the Pats head into training camp on Thursday.
There is only
one training camp question mark when it comes to the
Patriots [stats,
news] linebackers. And it resides squarely on the metal plate that's been
surgically implanted on the broken hip of Rosevelt Colvin.
Training camp
will constitute a huge hurdle for the prize 2003 free agent, who suffered a Bo
Jackson-type injury lunging for a fumble in Philadelphia in Week 2 last season.
Colvin's progress has been steady since then, and at the Pats' June minicamp he
appeared to run well in helmet and shorts. However, Colvin didn't practice in
team drills and had not been cleared for contact.
According to a
source, Colvin's recent medical evaluations have been excellent. The source said
Colvin currently has ``no limitations.''
Of course,
medical information on the Pats is always sketchy. But if Colvin is in pads when
the Pats take the field for their first practice on Thursday, then there's every
reason to believe he'll be in uniform on opening day. If not, it's a waiting
game.
Colvin has
modeled his recovery after Jacksonville safety Deon Grant, who suffered a
similar injury as a rookie with Carolina in 2000 and was back in pads exactly
one year later. The key difference is that Grant suffered his injury in late
July, which gave him the time to work out the kinks during training camp the
next year. If the Pats are using the one-year time frame, then that will put
Colvin's first padded practice in September. There have been rumors this
offseason that Colvin is headed to the physically unable to perform list, which
would make him eligible to return to the field after Week 6 of the regular
season.
Bill
Belichick [news]
said at the owners' meetings in March that he expected Colvin to be ready for
the regular season. Whether he meant the start of the season remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, the
rest of the linebacking corps this camp will exemplify what Belichick values
most at the position: experience and intelligence. Belichick has drafted just
three linebackers in his four years with the Pats, all of whom came in the
seventh round. Two of those players (Casey Tisdale in 2000 and T.J. Turner in
2001) were cut in training camp. The third, 23-year-old Tully Banta-Cain
(drafted in 2003) goes into this year as the only linebacker under the age of 26
with a chance to make the roster.
The rest of the
position is made up of savvy, productive veterans, players who know Belichick's
defense and the AFC offenses like the back of their hands. Those players allow
Belichick and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel to produce complicated game
plans every week knowing their players can handle it.
Belichick has
often said that outside linebacker
Mike Vrabel
[news]
is the smartest player he's ever coached, which is considerable praise given
Belichick's 30 years on NFL sidelines. And Vrabel, who turns 29 in August, is
one of the younger guys. Vrabel's career has taken off since joining the Pats in
2001, and he'll continue to play a key role on the pass rush and on the edge in
2004.
Willie
McGinest [news],
who is all of a sudden an elder statesman, possesses many of the same qualities
that Vrabel does. Ageless wonder Roman Phifer is back for a 14th NFL season,
and he'll remain in a rotation on the inside with the athletic and instinctive
Tedy Bruschi [news]
and the powerful Ted Johnson
[news].
Bruschi is a player who keeps getting better with age, and the Pats coaches felt
he should have been in the Pro Bowl last year. Perhaps this is the year.
Matt Chatham is
an underrated up-and-comer. He's a stalwart on special teams and a trusted
backup on the outside. Special teams captain Larry Izzo doesn't get much time
with the regular defense, but whenever he does, he seems to play well. Next: The secondary. BostonHerald.com - Patriots: Colvin main question
MICHAEL PARENTE , Sports Writer 07/28/2004
FOXBORO --
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the New England Patriots will emerge from
training camp as one of several front-runners to win Super Bowl XXXVIX in
February.
This Week's Notes and Quotes: 08/01/04
Sunday Morning Camp Notes Tedy Bruschi was the star of a blocking drill that faced the linebackers off against the running backs. The popular linebacker ran through, around and over foes Fred McCrary, Michael Cloud, Patrick Pass and Malaefou Mackenzie. Official Website of the New England Patriots - 8/2/04 8:08:14 AM
Belichick's 7/30 Press Conference Q: You have a lot of players
that are able to help Tully make the switch from defensive lineman to
linebacker. With Dan Klecko, it seems to be a unique switch. Do you have anyone
who could help him make that switch? BB: [Tedy] Bruschi. Q: Playing inside? BB: Yes, Bruschi played down similar to Klecko. Bruschi played inside, he played defensive tackle, three-technique, at Arizona. He led the Pac-10 and led the NCAA in sacks and all of that. That transition for him is similar to what [Dan is doing]. Now Dan played primarily defensive tackle though he did play some end a little bit at Temple but primarily he played defensive tackle, three-technique, one-technique, he played in there on the guard and so forth. It is pretty similar to what Bruschi did. Official Website of the New England Patriots - 8/2/04 8:17:48 AM
Dan Klecko's New Role "It's like being a rook all over," said Klecko, a second-year player from Temple. "I think I could work on everything. There's not a thing I could say, `Well, I got that down,' at linebacker." But he's coming along thanks to tutelage from Tedy Bruschi, who made a similar transition. At Arizona, Bruschi played defensive line -- as Klecko did at Temple -- and tied the NCAA record for career sacks. When he's having a rough patch, Klecko is buoyed by Bruschi letting him know he experienced the same pitfalls converting to linebacker after playing tackle in college. Boston.com / Sports / Football / Patriots / Klecko still trying to fit in
Klecko is lucky because he has an ideal role model to
follow in Tedy Bruschi
[news].
Bruschi came out of college having spent four years as a defensive lineman (both
end and tackle), but when then-coach Bill Parcells and then-assistant
Bill Belichick
[news]
got a hold of him in 1996, they began tinkering.
Bruschi evolved
over the next four years, going from pass-rushing end to weak-side linebacker to
middle linebacker. Now Bruschi is one of the top players at his position in the
NFL. But remember, it took him four or five years before he became truly
comfortable (and productive) playing on his feet. And it took him a few more
years after that to take his game to the next level.
Klecko said
Bruschi has given him plenty of pointers along the way. ``I really consider him one of the great middle linebackers,'' Klecko said. ``So for him to come up to me and say, `I went through that exact same thing,' that really helps.'' BostonHerald.com - Patriots: To stay on field, Klecko takes it inside
Bruschi's
just happy to be here Thursday, August 5, 2004
FOXBORO - Want to know why
Tedy Bruschi [news]
is one of the most popular Patriots
[stats,
news] players of all time? Want to know why fans line up to get a glimpse of
the veteran linebacker? Why he draws the biggest cheers at training camp? Why
his No. 54 has been a consistent best-seller in the team's pro shop?
Just listen to
him talk about why he signed a contract extension with the Patriots this spring,
giving up the opportunity to make a bigger killing as a free agent after the
season.
``How much is
enough?'' Bruschi said following practice yesterday at Gillette Stadium. ``How
much do you need? I live in North Attleboro. I don't live glamorously. I live in
a nice home and we're happy where we are. You really have to look yourself in
the eye and say, `Do you want to go out there and chase every single dime?' Or
do you want to stay somewhere and establish something. I chose to stay and
establish something.''
Bruschi was
scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2004 season. But instead of
playing out the year and taking his chances, he ``settled'' for a four-year,
$8.1 million contract with a $3.5 million signing bonus. To be sure, those
aren't welfare wages. But when you consider that the franchise number (the
average of the top 10 highest paid players at the position) for NFL linebackers
is more than $4 million per year, Bruschi certainly didn't break the bank.
Bruschi is
considered by many to be a top 10 linebacker, and if he's not, he's definitely
close. By anyone's estimation, a deal averaging $2 million a season was on the
low end.
Bruschi doesn't
employ an agent and handles negotiations himself.
``I'll tell you
this,'' he said. ``If I had an agent I wouldn't be here. Agents tell you, `I can
get you more.' But after they say that, it's always, `But it's going to have to
be somewhere else.' And then the player has to make that decision. And I didn't
need to make that decision.''
Some of
Bruschi's teammates were said to be perplexed that he would settle for a
below-market deal, thereby strengthening the internal salary cap on the Pats.
``I've only
received countless congratulations from my teammates,'' Bruschi said. ``To play
out the year and be a free agent, it's a lot of speculation. I don't want to
live by `What ifs?' What if something happens the first month of the season? The
AFC Championship Game, when I hurt my calf. Remember? You never know what's
going to happen. The Patriots came to me good-heartedly and said, `Let's get
something done to keep you here,' and I said, `Let's do it.' ''
Anyone who saw
Bruschi playing on the field with his two young sons, Tedy Jr. and Rex, Tuesday
night knows how important family is to him. And in the Pats, he has a good
match. The players' wives and children are always around.
``Some things
are just more important to me,'' Bruschi said. ``It's been said that if I was a
free agent I could have gone out there and made more money, but that's just not
important to me. What's important to me is the friendships I have on the team.
The fans I've been around for nine years now.''
As for the fans,
the bond with Bruschi remains incredibly strong.
``I relate to
them,'' he said. ``They are my kind of people. Just blue-collar, hard-working
people that just work hard and love their families and do the best they can to
get the job done. That's the way I would describe the people in the stands - and
that's how I would describe myself. ``I'll tell you something that would just kill me,'' Bruschi added. ``To go to another team and then come play a game here and see all those people wearing No. 54 jerseys in the stands. That's something I couldn't take.''
Extra conditioning works for defenseLots of 'gassers' now mean strength and energy laterFOXBOROUGH -- Among the nearly 85,000 fans who have attended Patriots training camp, some probably have noticed defensive players running -- voluntarily -- back and forth across the adjacent practice field during the team segment of the workouts. They aren't doing so as punishment, but rather punishing their bodies in preparation for those key moments during the season when they need to dig deep for something extra. "It's conditioning," said Rodney Harrison, who, along with Tedy Bruschi, Roman Phifer, and the originator of the idea, Ty Law, ran 10 to 12 "gassers" between plays yesterday. In Harrison's 10th year last season, he never seemed to run out of gas. Not only was he fueled by what he thought was mistreatment from the San Diego Chargers, he says he was stronger because of the "gassers." "Ty Law got me started doing it and it really helped me out last year," Harrison said. "Eighth week of the season, fourth quarter, I felt like I had more endurance, I felt like I was stronger. I probably was running better than I'd ever run. During the fourth quarter, you feel like you have more energy." More players are adopting the routine and Bruschi has added crunches to it. "It's contagious," Harrison said. "Everybody's doing it now. It's just working hard, paying the price. You figure everyone else is standing around doing nothing, you can get in a little extra stretching, a few sit-ups, some push-ups." Harrison is also taking steps to make sure his teammates who play on the other side of the ball are as prepared as possible; in practice, at the end of a run or completion, he catches up with the ballcarrier and attempts to poke the ball out from behind. He did it at least twice yesterday, the first time forcing Corey Dillon to fumble. Harrison says he does so to make certain it doesn't happen in a game. "It irritates them to death when I come up there and do it, but what it does is -- like I tell Corey, because I think he was getting a little agitated, but he's laughing about it now -- I do it to make sure our runners secure the ball," Harrison said. "And it works on me going to get the ball out. So now every time those guys catch the ball and they're running, they're aware. Because that's a turnover. I do it all day. I don't care if the play is 40 yards away, I run all the way to the ball and try to poke it out."
This week's Notes and Quotes: 8/15/04 NFL Features Part 1: Answering the burning questions Cris Collinsworth Aug. 16, 2004) -- There are plenty of questions as we head into the regular season and I would like to answer 10 of the most burning as we look toward Kickoff Weekend 2004, beginning with the first five. 1. Are the Patriots, once again, the team to beat in 2004? The Patriots are the team to beat, without question. They did such a great job of upgrading their already-potent team during the offseason with the drafting of Vince Wilfork from Miami and acquiring Corey Dillon from Cincinnati. If Dillon is what he was his first couple of years -- a running back with a chip on his shoulder -- he should provide a power running game with big-play capability. The Patriots won two of the past three Super Bowls with an average running game, reminding me of the old days when the 49ers used the pass to set up the run. But if Dillon is healthy and focused, this team has a chance to be amazing. It's going to be hard to stop them. What's also surprising is that the Patriots retained both of their coordinators. This is one of the first Super Bowl teams that I can remember that didn't lose a coordinator. It just doesn't happen. The record-setting defense is really good with star players at every level. Ty Law in the secondary and Richard Seymour on the defensive line are terrific, but the group that gets very little credit is the linebackers. Roman Phifer, Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi jump out at me every time I watch the film. They are just smarter than the offenses they are playing against. The Patriots defense was so dominant all year, it was surprising to see the Panthers move the ball so well against them in the Super Bowl, but they did shut down a powerful Colts offense in the AFC Championship Game. They should be just as good this year.
Nice to
meet you
MICHAEL PARENTE , Journal Register News Service 08/18/2004
FOXBORO
-- Every now and then, Tedy Bruschi watches Dan Klecko trying to make the
transition from defensive tackle to linebacker and sees a younger version of
himself.
"It’s really eerie. I look at him and say, ‘Wow. I used to do that, too.’"
Klecko shifts gears: Leans on Bruschi for move to
linebacker
FOXBORO -
Patriots
[stats,
news] linebacker Dan Klecko
[news]
was finished with yesterday's practice. Then he wrapped up his one-on-one
post-practice tackling drills with Tyler and Carter Vrabel, Mike's two young
sons. Then came a brief interview period. As he finally started down the
stairs from the field to the locker room, he stopped when he saw
Tedy Bruschi
[news]
was still answering questions back on the field. ``C'mon Bru,'' he said. He
obviously had questions of his own for his fellow inside linebacker and former
defensive lineman. Smart young man, that Klecko
kid. If anybody can relate to his transition to linebacker, it's Bruschi. Who
better to sound out about the adjustments that he's being asked to make? When he was a rookie and
second-year player back in 1996 and 1997, Bruschi also had to make the move from
defensive lineman to linebacker. He knows the trials Klecko is facing from
experience, and he knows how to deal with them. ``You've been in the dirt your
whole life (playing on the line),'' said Bruschi, who left the University of
Arizona tied for the NCAA Division 1 career sacks record with 52. ``Then they
ask you to go 5 yards off the ball. The other night (against Philadelphia) I saw
Kleck making the same mistakes I made at that point in my career. Actually it
was sort of eerie watching him out there. It was like, `Wooooo! I remember doing
that too.' ``You're used to seeing the game
a certain way and now it's all different. It's a huge transition, one that will
take a lot of time. When I came here, they weren't sure where to play me and I
went from the line to outside linebacker, then to the inside. ``Even that time on the outside
didn't help me at first. I still didn't know what I was doing.'' There were times last weekend
that Klecko was quite obviously sitting in that same sinking boat. He'd be a
step late on this play. He's miss coverage on the next one. He did finish with
four tackles, but given the number of snaps he took, that wasn't a lot. Still, the second-year player
was thinking good thoughts. ``Things went well,'' said
Klecko, a fourth-round pick out of Temple. ``There are a lot of little things to
focus on. That's what I have to concentrate on for the game against the Bengals
(Saturday night). I was a little nervous and tentative at first and a couple of
their (completions) were my fault. But I started seeing things a little better
at the end. ``There were a lot of things
that could have been better, but I don't think I have to change anything. I have
to get used to seeing things and working on the little things. Everything
happens really quick out there.'' Fortunately, quickness is the
hallmark of Klecko's game. He doesn't have great size or straight-line speed,
but he's quick off the ball and he understands the game. Those, according to Bruschi, are
major attributes for any defensive lineman-turned-linebacker. ``Reading and reacting to what's
going on is the most difficult adjustment,'' the veteran linebacker said. ``You
need a head on your shoulders. He has that. It's just going to take time. I keep
telling him to keep working like he is and things will fall in place. It will
come with time. ``Impatience will be part of it.
Frustration is going to be there, too. It's all part of it. I was so frustrated
at first that I didn't know what I was looking at. ``Then I'd see things again and again and I'd start to get it. That's the way it will happen for Kleck. He's doing things the right way. He's getting plenty of work and he's learning from what's happening. BostonHerald.com - Patriots: Klecko shifts gears: Leans on Bruschi for move to linebacker
This week's Notes and Quotes: 8/25/04 On 31-3 Bengals loss: Tough duty The Patriots are using this week to get into a regular-season practice schedule. It's an important week, considering how badly they performed in a 31-3 loss at Cincinnati Saturday night. The team practiced in full pads yesterday, and most players expected the rigorous session. "I hope we have a tougher week of practice," linebacker Tedy Bruschi said. "We've got work to do, bottom line." . . . "I feel the want to get back out there, right away to get back out there after a game like that," New England linebacker Tedy Bruschi said, "to get the pads on and get practicing, because, it's obvious, you watch the film and there are some points on the film we have to get better at." "It felt the same as it did after every time you get your lunch handed to you," said linebacker Tedy Bruschi. "People tend to forget, but we've had times before where we had bad days like that. It's not the first time, and it's probably not the last."
Bruschi hungry to start
hitting: Pats rev it up after Cincy loss
FOXBORO -- Whenever Tedy Bruschi hears
coach Bill Belichick talking about getting back to "basics" and "fundamentals,"
he knows that means only one thing.
"We're going to
hit," Bruschi said.
And so it was
yesterday, as Bruschi and his teammates geared up for a full-pad, full-contact
practice at Gillette Stadium. The players donned their equipment knowing
Belichick would turn up the heat after an embarrassing 31-3 preseason loss in
Cincinnati last Saturday.
In fact, that
performance has led to a somewhat unusual atmosphere in Foxboro for this time of
year. It's not often a defending Super Bowl champion feels urgency in August,
but the Pats are certainly in that neighborhood.
"I feel I want
to get back out there right away, to get back out there after a game like that,"
Bruschi said. "Because it's obvious. You watch the film and there are some
points where we've got to get better. So let's suit up and go get better."
One of those
points was the run defense, as the Pats allowed the Bengals to rush for 155
yards. That came a week after the Pats gave up 104 yards on 21 carries to the
Eagles in the preseason opener. Overall, the Pats have allowed 4.5 yards a carry
in the preseason. Not good.
That has led to
some obvious questions on the defensive line, where newcomers such as Keith
Traylor and rookies Vince Wilfork and Marquise Hill have been adjusting to the
Pats' 3-4 scheme. The free agent loss of nose tackle Ted Washington has already
become a talking point, but overlooked in the discussion has been the departure
of veteran defensive end Bobby Hamilton (who followed Washington to Oakland).
Hamilton was an
underrated and consistent run stuffer for the Pats for four years. He wasn't
flashy, but the players around him could rely on him holding his point and
funneling the run in a certain direction. Former nose tackle Chad Eaton once
said the reason he was able to have such a strong year in 2000 and earn a big
free agent contract was because he played next to Hamilton.
The Pats let
Hamilton go, in part, because they wanted 2003 first-round pick Ty Warren to
emerge as the starting left end. But while the Pats may have gotten younger with
the move, it remains to be seen if they are better.
Bruschi admitted
the linebackers have had to adjust to the new personnel in front of them.
"A little bit,"
he said. "Ty Warren and Truck (Traylor) are different players than Ted
Washington and Bobby Hamilton. As you know, from year to year you're going to
get change. So we've had two games and now we've got two more to get used to
each other before (the season-opener vs.) Indy."
Belichick's
defense is predicated on gap control, which means it's imperative that the
linebackers "fit" behind the defensive linemen. Bruschi and fellow inside
linebacker Roman Phifer had grown accustomed to where Hamilton and Washington
were going to be on every play. Now they have to find the same symmetry with the
newcomers. So far, it's been slow going.
"We got work to
do. That's the bottom line," Bruschi said. "The (Bengals) were able to run for
over 150 yards on us, and we haven't let that happen in a while. So what do we
do? We're in pads. We're going to be working on our run drills, working on our
fits. Have a physical week and try to fix the problem. "Basically, that's what fundamentals mean to me," Bruschi added. "Getting back to two-gapping and pressing guards and playing direct runs, which is what we have to work on." MetroWest Daily News - Sports Coverage
Bruschi takes loss to heart
BY MARK FARINELLA / SUN CHRONICLE STAFF FOXBORO -- Given the opportunity, Tedy Bruschi wouldn't have been putting on the pads for practice Tuesday. He would have preferred to be dressing for a game -- some real action, designed to wash the bitter taste of Saturday night's debacle out of his mouth. ``I feel the want to get back out there right away ... to get back out there, to get better, to get the pads on and get practicing,'' the Patriots' veteran linebacker said, ``because it's obvious when you watch the film, there are points on the film that we've got to get better on.'' Just about everyone connected with the Patriots agreed that there was very little positive to be gleaned out of Saturday's 31-3 preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. It's been just a little less than a year since the Patriots felt that kind of sting after a game -- last year's 31-0, season-opening loss at Buffalo, to be exact -- and even the fact that this one doesn't register in the standings didn't mitigate the disappointment of being so thoroughly outclassed. ``What happened Saturday is what happened,'' Bruschi said. ``We've got things to work on, and we see that through the films, so that's what we've got to focus on. We're not going to focus on how long it's been since this has happened or that has happened, it's what did happen.''
This week's Notes and Quotes: 08/28/04 On the meeting the Panthers :
"It’s going
to be a challenge, but it’s something we’re looking forward to," linebacker Tedy
Bruschi said. "We weren’t happy with the way we played last week. We practiced
hard this week and worked to improve the things that needed to be improved. This
is a big test for us and we’ll be ready to respond."
This week's Notes and Quotes: 09/05/04 Some have even mentioned the Patriots as a team ready to put together a dominating stretch of seasons because of the presence of Belichick and Brady, plus a sound fiscal strategy. "You'd rather have people say good things about you than bad," linebacker Tedy Bruschi said, "so it's nice that they're saying good things rather than bad. "But we realize in order to live up to those compliments, we have to do more. We still have to win a lot more games, and that's what we are trying to do." The problem, though, is that life in the NFL is confusing - to say the least - changing so fast simply because so little separates the champion from the contenders or even the pretenders. Patriots still have right idea On Klecko: He tries to pick up tips wherever he can. "He's really eager. He comes and asks me a lot of questions, sometimes too many," Bruschi said with a laugh. "Sometimes I just wish he'd leave me alone." But Bruschi went through the same learning process himself. "I can relate to it," he said. "I know how difficult it is, but give him a year or two under his belt and he can be a quality player." APP.COM - Klecko shows progress in switch to ILB From Belichick's 9/7 press conference: Q: Can you talk about what a guy like Tedy Bruschi means to the younger players? BB: I think Tedy means a lot to our whole team—defense, special teams, offense, everybody. Tedy is a high-energy guy. You know he loves the game. He loves to practice. He is very enthusiastic and upbeat about whatever it is he is doing, whether it is covering punts, whether it is blitzing, whatever it happens to be. I think he sets a great example and is a good guy for any player to watch in terms of preparation, playing style, toughness, instincts, you name it. Naturally, the players that play the linebacker position spend a little more time with him. A younger guy like Dan [Klecko], if he does everything Bruschi does and does it the way Tedy does it, he will be a lot better for it. And Dan is a hard-working, conscientious kid himself, so it is a good fit. Q: What does it mean to the organization for a player to legitimately want to remain a Patriot for life? BB: That is great. That is what we are all hoping for, is that we can keep as many people, as many good players, as many good people, coaches, scouts, you name it, in the organization for as long as possible. There is movement in the league, and we know that there are opportunities in a timely fashion, at one point or another for everybody. Hopefully we can keep, as much as possible, our productive people intact and move forward with that. But, we know we can't do it with everybody, so that is life in the NFL. Having Tedy here, him having been here, and knowing he is going to be here for some time in the foreseeable future is good for our organization, it is good for our defense, and it is good for the head coach. Official Website of the New England Patriots - 9/7/04 7:17:29 PM
Roseville's Bruschi glad he opted not to toe lineBy Jim Jenkins -- Bee Staff Writer
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