How the Patriots do without Tom Brady may be the most interesting question of the 2008 season. The 2007 Patriots were the most dominating team the NFL has seen in many years, routinely crushing opponents before losing their edge a bit toward the end of the season, just enough to allow a red-hot Giants team to nip them in the Super Bowl thanks to the fourth quarter heroics of Eli Manning and David Tyree.
The Patriots under Bill Belichick have followed a basic demographic formula -- very white (for the NFL) on offense, but par for the course black on defense.
Matt Cassel, a backup since high school, takes over the reins of what was a juggernaut offense in '07. Kevin O'Connell, a 6-5 rookie out of San Diego State, is presently the only other quarterback on the roster with Brady out for the year on injured reserve.
The talents of Wes Welker were utilized to maximum advantage last year and Welker responded with 112 receptions, tied for the league lead, along with 1,175 yards and 8 TDs.
Despite a great career receiving and returning kicks as a walk-on at Texas Tech, Welker went undrafted by the NFL, was signed as a free agent by San Diego and waived, and then signed by the Dolphins, who used him as a backup, one who then-coach Nick Saban seriously considered cutting even though he had been the team's leading receiver. The Patriots happened to notice that Welker was pretty much uncoverable and traded for him, and the rest is history.
Welker's rise to stardom despite the rough road he had to travel is yet more evidence of the large pool of untapped white football talent, at wide receiver and every other position.
Heath Evans remains as the starting fullback, one who also gets the occasional rush, especially near the goal line. Underused and then discarded by Mikey Holmgren in Seattle, Evans has been used a few times as the Patriots' featured runner because of injuries and has always delivered. He could have been a starting power back and done better than many if not all of the pedestrian black runners continuously recycled through the NFL.
The Patriots offensive line in 2007 played as well or better than any line ever has. The amount of time given to Brady to execute the passing game was phenomenal. The line is what keyed the team's effortless scoring, and it would be the same all-white group protecting Cassel in 2008 except that RG Stephen Neal is currently on the PUP list.
Eight year veteran Russ Hochstein out of Nebraska replaces Neal, keeping it an all-white starting unit. Nick Kaczur is the right tackle, Boston College grad Dan Koppen anchors the line at the center position, former first round pick Logan Mankins is the left guard, and Matt Light out of Purdue is the left tackle.
All of the backup linemen except one are also white -- Wesley Britt, Dan Connolly, and Mark LeVoir.
David Thomas out of Texas is now the second tight end after two injury-filled seasons and should see the field a lot and may even surpass Benjamin Watson as the season goes on to become the team's number one receiving threat at the position.
Stephen Spach serves as the third string TE.
On defense, greybeards Mike Vrabel and Teddy Bruschi remain starters at linebacker. Vrabel, a pass rushing demon at Ohio State, thrived immediately upon leaving Bill Cowher's Caste wonderland in Pittsburgh and has been a star in New England playing linebacker, rushing the passer, and even catching the occasional touchdown pass. He is entering his 12th NFL season.
Bruschi, the Italian-Mexican great, has overcome a stroke to play several more seasons at a high level. He is now in his 13th season.
Unfortunately the Patriots are not drafting or developing any young white players on defense. The only other white defensive players once again are backup tackle Mike Wright, in his 4th season out of Cincinnati, LB Larry Izzo, who has been a career White Special Teams Demon, and Ray Ventrone a safety who can play many different positions but who has been released by the Patriots and Jets a half dozen times over the past three seasons.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 10 (when using a fullback)
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 22 (would have been 23 with Brady)
GRADE: C-Edited by: Don Wassall
The Patriots under Bill Belichick have followed a basic demographic formula -- very white (for the NFL) on offense, but par for the course black on defense.
Matt Cassel, a backup since high school, takes over the reins of what was a juggernaut offense in '07. Kevin O'Connell, a 6-5 rookie out of San Diego State, is presently the only other quarterback on the roster with Brady out for the year on injured reserve.
The talents of Wes Welker were utilized to maximum advantage last year and Welker responded with 112 receptions, tied for the league lead, along with 1,175 yards and 8 TDs.
Despite a great career receiving and returning kicks as a walk-on at Texas Tech, Welker went undrafted by the NFL, was signed as a free agent by San Diego and waived, and then signed by the Dolphins, who used him as a backup, one who then-coach Nick Saban seriously considered cutting even though he had been the team's leading receiver. The Patriots happened to notice that Welker was pretty much uncoverable and traded for him, and the rest is history.
Welker's rise to stardom despite the rough road he had to travel is yet more evidence of the large pool of untapped white football talent, at wide receiver and every other position.
Heath Evans remains as the starting fullback, one who also gets the occasional rush, especially near the goal line. Underused and then discarded by Mikey Holmgren in Seattle, Evans has been used a few times as the Patriots' featured runner because of injuries and has always delivered. He could have been a starting power back and done better than many if not all of the pedestrian black runners continuously recycled through the NFL.
The Patriots offensive line in 2007 played as well or better than any line ever has. The amount of time given to Brady to execute the passing game was phenomenal. The line is what keyed the team's effortless scoring, and it would be the same all-white group protecting Cassel in 2008 except that RG Stephen Neal is currently on the PUP list.
Eight year veteran Russ Hochstein out of Nebraska replaces Neal, keeping it an all-white starting unit. Nick Kaczur is the right tackle, Boston College grad Dan Koppen anchors the line at the center position, former first round pick Logan Mankins is the left guard, and Matt Light out of Purdue is the left tackle.
All of the backup linemen except one are also white -- Wesley Britt, Dan Connolly, and Mark LeVoir.
David Thomas out of Texas is now the second tight end after two injury-filled seasons and should see the field a lot and may even surpass Benjamin Watson as the season goes on to become the team's number one receiving threat at the position.
Stephen Spach serves as the third string TE.
On defense, greybeards Mike Vrabel and Teddy Bruschi remain starters at linebacker. Vrabel, a pass rushing demon at Ohio State, thrived immediately upon leaving Bill Cowher's Caste wonderland in Pittsburgh and has been a star in New England playing linebacker, rushing the passer, and even catching the occasional touchdown pass. He is entering his 12th NFL season.
Bruschi, the Italian-Mexican great, has overcome a stroke to play several more seasons at a high level. He is now in his 13th season.
Unfortunately the Patriots are not drafting or developing any young white players on defense. The only other white defensive players once again are backup tackle Mike Wright, in his 4th season out of Cincinnati, LB Larry Izzo, who has been a career White Special Teams Demon, and Ray Ventrone a safety who can play many different positions but who has been released by the Patriots and Jets a half dozen times over the past three seasons.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 10 (when using a fullback)
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 22 (would have been 23 with Brady)
GRADE: C-Edited by: Don Wassall
ackers, Colts, texans now?)