Patriots 2011 Regular Season

[Donoghus]

I am really curious to see the Pats defense this week if Mayo is back.  I have really liked what I have seen from Spikes at MLB these last few weeks, both on the field, as well as taking on a leadership role. 

I never saw Mayo as much of a leader, and it has seemed like the more they have asked him to lead, the more his play has actually regressed. 

So, perhaps when he comes back, they can take some of the responsibility off Mayo's shoulders (both as a leader, and player), let Spikes carry more of it, and let Mayo just settle in a little more on the weak side, where he can just let his talent do the talking.

I know Mayo has been "practicing", but I doubt he plays this week. I think this is just to keep the Steelers guessing.

Well, he practiced before their last game as well, so this wasn't something new just for this week.  I think with the Bye, he very well could be returning on Sunday.

He was listed as "limited participation" in yesterday's practice.

It might be in limited reps, but I think we'll see him out there on Sunday which is remarkable given his injury.

[Donoghus]

Pats cut Leigh Bodden.  That was a dud of a FA signing.

From PFT:

Pats cut Leigh Bodden

Posted by Mike Florio on October 28, 2011, 11:06 AM EDT
 
APThe Leigh Bodden era in New England abruptly has ended.

A league source with knowledge of the situation advises PFT that the Patriots have released Bodden, an eight-year veteran.

Bodden was in the second season of a four-year, $22 million contract.  Per the source, the player and the team decided that the relationship wasn’t working out as planned, and that it was time to move on.  He appeared in five games with one start this season.

Bodden has a base salary of $3.9 million in 2011.  Since the trade deadline has passed, he’ll be subject to waivers.  If claimed, his new team would absorb the balance, which is $2.064 million.  (He’ll be paid by the Patriots for Week Eight, even though he has been cut.)  If he’s not claimed, Bodden will be entitled to receive the balance of his salary via the termination pay provision of the CBA.

Coincidentally, PFT posted news of the release on Twitter just as coach Bill Belichick was conducting a press conference.  Asked about the report, he reportedly said that the team doesn’t have an announcement to make at this time.  But Belichick also said he’ll “skip” a question about how Bodden has been playing.

In other words, “Bon voyage, Bodden.”

   

[Cman]

Pats cut Leigh Bodden.  That was a dud of a FA signing.

From PFT:

Pats cut Leigh Bodden

Posted by Mike Florio on October 28, 2011, 11:06 AM EDT
 
APThe Leigh Bodden era in New England abruptly has ended.

A league source with knowledge of the situation advises PFT that the Patriots have released Bodden, an eight-year veteran.

Bodden was in the second season of a four-year, $22 million contract.  Per the source, the player and the team decided that the relationship wasn’t working out as planned, and that it was time to move on.  He appeared in five games with one start this season.

Bodden has a base salary of $3.9 million in 2011.  Since the trade deadline has passed, he’ll be subject to waivers.  If claimed, his new team would absorb the balance, which is $2.064 million.  (He’ll be paid by the Patriots for Week Eight, even though he has been cut.)  If he’s not claimed, Bodden will be entitled to receive the balance of his salary via the termination pay provision of the CBA.

Coincidentally, PFT posted news of the release on Twitter just as coach Bill Belichick was conducting a press conference.  Asked about the report, he reportedly said that the team doesn’t have an announcement to make at this time.  But Belichick also said he’ll “skip” a question about how Bodden has been playing.

In other words, “Bon voyage, Bodden.”

   

Yeah, the Pats seem to always shank it on the big name FA signings.  On the other hand, they do relatively well with the no name FA signings.  In any case, the Pats D is quite thin right now.

[Donoghus]

[quote author=Cman link=topic=46373.msg1067033#msg1067033 Yeah, the Pats seem to always shank it on the big name FA signings.  On the other hand, they do relatively well with the no name FA signings.  In any case, the Pats D is quite thin right now.
[/quote]

McCourty, Arrington, Dowling, Molden, and Adams.

Not exactly a CB core that exudes a lot of confidence from me.

Dowling has to be closer to returning than the media is being led to believe.

[Greenbean]

[quote author=Cman link=topic=46373.msg1067033#msg1067033 Yeah, the Pats seem to always shank it on the big name FA signings.  On the other hand, they do relatively well with the no name FA signings.  In any case, the Pats D is quite thin right now.

McCourty, Arrington, Dowling, Molden, and Adams.

Not exactly a CB core that exudes a lot of confidence from me.

Dowling has to be closer to returning than the media is being led to believe.
[/quote]

I sure hope so. In the limited sample size that I have seen Dowling, he looks pretty good. Really physical.

Bill must think alot of him becasue unless Im mistaken he played the majority of the snaps in his first 2 games after missing some time in the preseason.

Didnt this guy have injury issues in college too?

Edit: Ill answer my own question...see below

04/07/2011 - Medical cases pros watching closely: CB Ras-I Dowling, Virginia, Selection Range: Early second round to early-third round...Dowling looked to be a solid first-round pick during his junior season because of his 6-2, 200-pound frame and receiver-like ball skills. He struggled to stay healthy in 2010 because of hamstring, ankle and knee injuries. The fact he ran 4.4 in his only combine 40 despite pulling up lame is intriguing, and he put together a strong (and complete) workout on campus Monday. He still needs doctors to test his legs before teams use a high second-round pick to bring him in, as they did his former cornerback partner Chris Cook (34th overall, Vikings) last April. - Chad Reuter, NFLDraftScout.com

[Fan from VT]

Re: Bodden

Weird. At first blush, don't like it. Doubt Dowling can be counted on this week or rest of year. Hope he can play, because i think he's got talent, but we'll see about durability.

Seems to leave us pretty thin at CB. I wonder if we'll get Harris from Chicago. Anyone know if he can play some CB or if any of our safeties acan play CB if he comes ot play safety?


The realistic part of me thinks that is unlikely, and that the pats will simply go with one of these practice squad CBs as a patch.

[Chris]

Re: Bodden

Weird. At first blush, don't like it. Doubt Dowling can be counted on this week or rest of year. Hope he can play, because i think he's got talent, but we'll see about durability.

Seems to leave us pretty thin at CB. I wonder if we'll get Harris from Chicago. Anyone know if he can play some CB or if any of our safeties acan play CB if he comes ot play safety?


The realistic part of me thinks that is unlikely, and that the pats will simply go with one of these practice squad CBs as a patch.

Yeah, I am really hoping this is leading to a signing of a veteran like Harris. 

As for someone to play CB, Arrington has been very good opposite McCourty, and they still have Dowling, and the other big kid they got near the beginning of the season.

The question is whether any of the safeties can play the nickle back, which is really where Bodden has played most of the season anyways.  That I am not sure of.

[Donoghus]

A little more on the Bodden move.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Some final thoughts on today's release of veteran cornerback Leigh Bodden:

This was obviously a big surprise. In trying to better understand the team's thinking, and the dynamics of the situation, the picture still doesn't come through crystal clear. But some 8-10 hours after the news broke, there were a few things that weren't touched on earlier worthy of exploring.

While performance might have been part of a consideration, it's hard to believe that was the sole factor. Bodden was playing as the third cornerback, and while his production wasn't at 2009 levels, it was certainly passable. He is a better cornerback than Phillip Adams, and while Adams offers a bit more special teams value, that hardly seems like a clincher to keep him over Bodden. Overall, this is a move that weakens the Patriots at the position, especially given rookie Ras-I Dowling's injury issues.

It's also hard to believe the move was made because Bodden was not embracing his role as the third corner. He was still playing a lot -- the Patriots had an extra defensive back on for 60 percent of their snaps -- and it's not like it was a different role in the sense that he still lined up outside. When Bodden came on to the field as the fifth defensive back after the season opener, the Patriots most often moved Kyle Arrington inside to the "star" position. Like any player, Bodden surely wanted to be on the field more, but I don't think that got in the way of him being a good teammate. He didn't seem to put his role above the team's success.

On Thursday, when Bodden popped into the locker room briefly during the media-access period, it was mentioned to him that he hasn't been seen as much by reporters this year. He pointed to the training room and said, "I've been in there."

I've been thinking about that brief exchange, wondering if it might be tied to what went down today. Bodden has been listed on the injury report with thumb and groin injuries this year, and he missed the team's game at Oakland on Oct. 2. He also sat out the 2010 season with a torn rotator cuff.

The wear and tear has been adding up for the 30-year-old Bodden, even though his agent said Friday that he's "totally healthy." I attempted to reach out to the likeable Bodden today to ask him if some of the health issues were making it harder for him to be "all-in" -- which is what you have to be in the NFL, especially in the Patriots' demanding program -- but the connection couldn't be made.

Out of all the possible reasons the Patriots abruptly released Bodden, this is the one that seems most plausible from this perspective.

Why would a team release its third cornerback two days before a game?

It doesn't make sense unless, first and foremost, Bill Belichick didn't feel Bodden was "all-in."

[Donoghus]

Dowling placed on IR.  This makes the Bodden move even more head-scratching now.  4 CBs on that roster right now.  They HAVE to bring in someone now.

Patriots activate Kevin Faulk, place Dowling on injured reserve
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on October 29, 2011, 4:11 PM EDT
 
AP...One of the signature players of the Bill Belichick era will be back in a Patriots uniform on Sunday.

New England activated running back Kevin Faulk and defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick off the PUP list on Saturday in advance of their game in Pittsburgh.

In a surprise move, the team placed rookie cornerback Ras-I Dowling on injured reserve with a hip injury.  The No. 33 overall pick of the 2011 draft, Dowling started the first two games of the season but hasn’t been since.

This makes the Patriots’ release of Leigh Bodden this week even more surprising.  The team knew Dowling was this hurt, but must have been very frustrated with Bodden.

[Eja117]

Dowling is always hurt

[PosImpos]

Dowling is always hurt

Yeah, he seems to be a very disappointing pick.

[Cman]

Dowling is always hurt

Yeah, he seems to be a very disappointing pick.

Too early to say.

[PosImpos]

Dowling is always hurt

Yeah, he seems to be a very disappointing pick.

Too early to say.

Perhaps, except he apparently dealt with injury issues throughout high school and college as well.  Not a good sign.




http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2011/10/31/this_road_loss_shows_they_can_only_go_so_far/?p1=News_links


All that needs to be said about the 2011-2012 Patriots.

[Donoghus]

Edelman charged with indecent assault:

By Brian R. Ballou and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff


New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is due in Boston Municipal Court today where he will be arraigned on charges of indecent assault and battery on a woman, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office said.

Boston police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said officers were called to the Storyville nightclub on Exeter Street in the Back Bay around 1:30 a.m. today to investigate reports of an assault.

After police spoke with the female victim, Edelman was arrested on a single count of indecent assault and battery, Driscoll said. Edelman was taken into custody but later posted bail and released by police.

Driscoll said out of respect for the confidentiality of the information the victim supplied to police, she would not provide specific details of the allegation against Edelman.

In a report on the case, Boston police said Edelman was inside the nightclub on Halloween night when he allegedly reached underneath the woman’s costume and groped her below the waist.

A man who was with the woman told police that a man – later identified as Edelman – bumped into the woman on the dance floor. “He saw the victim’s face change into an expression of shock,’’ police said in the report.

The man then confronted Edelman on the dance floor and “threatened to beat him up’’ while the woman tried to calm him down, police said. The man and the woman were ejected, followed by Edelman, police said.

The man and the woman and Edelman were thrown out of the nightclub by bouncers to calm the situation, police were told by nightclub staff.

When police arrived, Edelman denied groping the woman, police said.

However, after the man and woman positively identified him, Edelman was charged with indecent assault and battery.

Edelman, 25, is a reserve wide receiver and a kick returner. He has been with the Patriots for three seasons. He was inactive in last Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[Cman]

Edelman charged with indecent assault:

By Brian R. Ballou and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff


New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is due in Boston Municipal Court today where he will be arraigned on charges of indecent assault and battery on a woman, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office said.

Boston police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said officers were called to the Storyville nightclub on Exeter Street in the Back Bay around 1:30 a.m. today to investigate reports of an assault.

After police spoke with the female victim, Edelman was arrested on a single count of indecent assault and battery, Driscoll said. Edelman was taken into custody but later posted bail and released by police.

Driscoll said out of respect for the confidentiality of the information the victim supplied to police, she would not provide specific details of the allegation against Edelman.

In a report on the case, Boston police said Edelman was inside the nightclub on Halloween night when he allegedly reached underneath the woman’s costume and groped her below the waist.

A man who was with the woman told police that a man – later identified as Edelman – bumped into the woman on the dance floor. “He saw the victim’s face change into an expression of shock,’’ police said in the report.

The man then confronted Edelman on the dance floor and “threatened to beat him up’’ while the woman tried to calm him down, police said. The man and the woman were ejected, followed by Edelman, police said.

The man and the woman and Edelman were thrown out of the nightclub by bouncers to calm the situation, police were told by nightclub staff.

When police arrived, Edelman denied groping the woman, police said.

However, after the man and woman positively identified him, Edelman was charged with indecent assault and battery.

Edelman, 25, is a reserve wide receiver and a kick returner. He has been with the Patriots for three seasons. He was inactive in last Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maybe Pats should've kept Brandon Tate instead?