New England Patriots: Super Bowl XLIX Champions!

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks contested arguably the greatest Super Bowl of all-time. It had everything from hard hitting defense to brilliant offense and just pure drama as the two teams battled it out until literally the last seconds of the game. With 23 seconds to go Russell Wilson threw an interception to Patriots rookie defensive back Malcom Butler on the one yard line sending the New England Patriots players and fans around the world to go in to a frenzy of celebration as well as disbelief that they had finally captured their first Super Bowl championship since 2004.

Brady's reaction to Butler's intercepted summed it all up for anyone associated with the Patriots

After Jermaine Kearse's catch down at the goal-line it appeared that New England would surely suffer a third straight Super Bowl defeat as it seemed once again that the football gods were once again going to snatch victory away from the Patriots with a David Tyree/Mario Manningham type play. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in particular needed this victory more than anything to quieten down all the doubters and finally get this massive weight off of their shoulders. Despite all Brady and Belichick have achieved if Wilson had indeed completed that pass to Lockette or if the Seahawks had just run the ball with Lynch like 99.9% of people would have done then Seattle would have surely won this game and left the Patriots franchise in devastation.

But the beauty of sport is that it is all swings and roundabouts and that is none truer than in the National Football League. When Brady started his career he was a young kid fighting tooth and nail to make it in the NFL and under the guidance of Belichick the Patriots won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years thanks to a a fantastic defense, great coaching and the heart as well as the desire of a young quarterback. Some would say that at that time Brady was just a game manager, some would say that despite having the best win ratio in NFL history he hadn't won the big one since 2004 and that it was just because of that great defense that Brady had 3 Super Bowl rings. People would even dare to call Brady a choker and bring up the lack of Super Bowl success since SpyGate despite guiding his team to the big one two more times since 2004. The 2007 team almost pulled of perfection, in 2011 the Pats just couldn't get the job done and it appeared that the 4th championship may never come around.

The Patriots roster this season was the best since 2007 and all the pieces were in place for a championship. After a sluggish start to the season and the humiliation at the hands of the Chiefs in week 4 the Pats steamrolled through the regular season to finish 12-4. They pulled off a memorable comeback win over the Ravens in this years divisional round before blowing out the Colts in the AFC Championship but then the deflate-gate drama happened. Since the Pats' AFC title victory people have tried to unsettle New England just a fortnight before Super Bowl 49 but in fact deflate-gate was possibly the best thing that could of happened to the Patriots heading in to this Super Bowl matchup against the Seahawks.

To be branded cheaters and have their integrity questioned once again must have stung and team owner Robert Kraft's speech proved that when he came out and defended the franchise in emotional fashion. It inspired the team and probably gave them the final push they needed to get the job done this past Sunday. If Brady and Belichick had failed to guide the team to Super Bowl victory this time around then to be honest despite all the success of this franchise would the Patriots have been able to bounce back from a third heartbreaking Super Bowl defeat? Knowing the Patriots obviously they would have still been successful but I think three defeats in a row at a time where the window on a 4th championship is closing more and more year by year may have indeed been two much even for this masterful duo and a franchise that has been at the top of the NFL mountain since 2001.

On Sunday Night it did appear that the Patriots may lose in the big one once again. Following a brilliant drive that ended in a Brady to Gronkowski touchdown just before the half the Patriots looked in control but Seattle snatched all the momentum back when Russell Wilson put a quick drive together in under a minute to tie the game at 14 each going in to the half. Then Seattle took control leaving New England down by 10 points at 24-14 against the best defense in the league and arguably the greatest defense of all time. Tom Brady and the Patriots had it all to do especially as no team had ever come back from a deficit larger than 7 in the fourth quarter of a Super Bowl but they put together a fantastic drive which included a fantastic play on 3rd&14 which saw Brady fire a dime to Julian Edelman who had a fantastic game; the drive ended in a Brady to Amendola touchdown with just under 8 minutes to play in regulation.

Then New England's defense came up big straight away to get the ball back by forcing Seattle to a 3 and out. 24-21 4:47 left on the clock, 2&11 Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for the first down as the Patriots forced their way in to field goal range and it looked like they would at least tie the game but against this Seattle team it needed to be a touchdown especially given the circumstances. So then on 2nd and goal the Patriots scored the go ahead touchdown as Brady hit Edelman after he pulled off a spin move to put the Pats up 28-24 but then as we know it seemed Seattle would break the hearts of all Pats players and fans before Malcom Butler pulled off one of the finest plays in Super Bowl history to stop Seattle's comeback attempt and leave the Patriots in ecstasy.

The Patriots had finally avenged the demons of the past and laid to rest the painful defeat to the Giants in this same stadium back in 2007 as well as the other Super Bowl loss to New York back in 2011. Tom Brady and Belichick have now appeared in 6 Super Bowls with 4 victories and both have the most playoff victories for a quaterback/head coach. Brady's stellar offensive performance which saw him complete 37 of 50 passing attempts for 4 touchdowns and 328 yards earned him his 3rd Super Bowl MVP award leaving him tied with his childhood hero Joe Montana. In the game he surpassed another one of his idols old records as Brady ended the game with 13 Super Bowl touchdowns with the record previously standing at 11. Many now, including myself personally, consider Brady to be the greatest quarterback of all-time now that he is tied with Super Bowl wins on 4 with Montana and Terry Bradshaw and the fact that when you total up all the records Tom has and all the success he has achieved with Bill Belichick and the Patriots it is clear to see why he has a very strong case for greatest of all-time.

The Brady and Peyton Manning debate for greatest of an era is now over as Brady as 4 Super Bowl rings to Peyton's one. I'm not taking anything away from Peyton but Tom has all the postseason records whilst Peyton has all the regular season ones. Tom has played with only 9 pro bowl wide receivers to Manning's 27 and yet Brady is the one with 4 Super Bowl championships. Of course it is a team effort and the fact that this Pats team had so much determination as well as skill to capture this championship helped Brady but in the NFL the quarterback always seems to get too much of the praise or too much of the blame which is why we have so many debates about QB's and all in all who is the best ever. The greatest of all time debate will be even more heated than ever unless Brady and Belichick can win a 5th championship then that would kill any argument from anyone ever.

But for anyone associated with the Patriots whether that be the players, the coaches, anyone linked directly with the franchise or anyone in the fanbase from across the globe the debates can wait because the Super Bowl is coming back to Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Patriots are 4 times Super Bowl Champions and have established themselves as the greatest dynasty in NFL history. This team showed all the passion, heart, desire, skill and motivation it takes to win an NFL Championship. Tom Brady dethroned a devastating Seattle defense, this offense came up big when it mattered most. The offensive line that stood up strong against a devastating Seattle frontline to play a big part and players like Julian Edelman (some people's MVP choice), Danny Amendola (an unsung hero who came up big this postseason), Brandon LaFell (Brady's comfort blanket and a big contributor) and finally superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski all did their jobs.

I did say if he stayed healthy Gronk would be the difference this season with the result being a Patriots Super Bowl win and that was the case. The Pats offense defeated the legion of boom and the Pats defense came up big all season long to write their own story and establish their own greatness in New England's football folklore. Malcom Butler will be receiving Tom Brady's MVP truck after his game winning play, which I myself did indeed suggest during my celebrations on Sunday night via Twitter, and the likes of Jamie Collins, Dont'a Hightower, Rob Ninkovich, Chandler Jones, Vince Wilfork, Brandon Browner, Devin McCourty, Darrelle Revis among many others all get to wake up feeling on top of the world after becoming champions and deservedly so after they all played fantastic on Sunday. All 53 players on the Patriots roster earned their Super Bowl ring as they all played a part in the team becoming champions, they all did it for themselves personally and they all helped cement Brady and Belichick's legacy which is something all Patriots fans have been wanting since 2007. Everyone associated with the New England Patriots will be smiles from today's parade and throughout the entire off-season before the hard work begins ahead of the 2015 season and their title defense which will begin on the 10th September but until then let us say it one more time... The New England Patriots are Super Bowl Champions!

Colts vs Patriots: AFC Divisional Round

Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts roll in to Gillette stadium on the back of one of the greatest comeback wins in playoff history when they overcame the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend 45-44. Luck engineered a comeback which saw him bounce back from 3 interceptions in the game to tally up a total of 443 yards as well as 4 touchdown passes along with 29 completions out of 45 attempts.

It was Luck's first playoff victory and the second largest comeback in postseason history as the Colts bounced back from 38-10 deficit. Tonight they face the New England Patriots who have stared adversity full in the face throughout this 2013 season. The Patriots have found a way to win all year throughout various tough spots and scenarios with the team finishing the year 12-4. Middle linebacker Bradon Spikes went down this week ending his season which means that he joins the likes of Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo, Sebastian Vollmer and Thomas Kelly which shows how depleted this defense core is plus it is impossible to forget that on offense superstar Rob Gronkowski is out with an ACL and MCL injury but we'll get to that later.

Despite the injuries on defense Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones have been shining stars all year with the two combining for 19.5 sacks this season. Jones is in his sophomore season and leads the New England pass rush with 11.5 sacks. Fellow sophomore Dont'a Hightower will suit up at running back along with athletic linebackers Dane Fletcher and rookie Jamie Collins so although they are thin at key positions they have the talent to succeed. These linebackers will need to stop in form Colts running back Donald Brown who continues to impress; last week he had 55 yards from 11 carries and a touchdown. Jones and Ninkovich are no slouches in the running game either so despite the fact that pass rushers don't traditionally shine against the running game the fact that they are willing to do dirty work to help the team is typically of the Patriot way and the winning identity Bill Belichick puts in his men.

To get to where they are is a testament to Belichick as a head coach and in the playoffs we know anything can happen so if this Patriots team did manage to win the Super Bowl it would surely be his greatest achievement to date. His main challenge tonight is to stop Colts wideout T.Y. Hilton who is coming in to this match on the back of his best career game with him going off last weekend as he caught two touchdowns and finished with 224 receiving yards. The Patriots secondary will have a tough challenge against him but we'll hope that the likes of Aqib Talib and Devin McCourty can stop his blistering speed with smart defensive blame to limit his output; Hilton had 100 yards and 2 touchdown passes when the two teams went head to head in 2012.

The last time these two teams met New England destroyed the Colts 59-24 but a lot has changed since then. Andrew Luck continues to show why he is one of the best quarterbacks in the league already despite it only being his second year; he has 11 game-winning drives in his career already and with a record of 22-10 Luck has one more win that Tom Brady from his first 32 career games (21-11). With that being said Tom Brady may not be having one of his best seasons statistically but as a leader there is nobody better as he has managed to pull his team out of many deep holes this year with late victories over the Saints and Browns as well as rallying back from a 24-0 deficit to defeat the high flying Denver Broncos!

More than likely the winner of tonight's matchup will face Denver in the AFC Championship game which sets up a mouthwatering encounter either way. Tom Brady and this Patriots team seem to have a feel of destiny around them with a win tonight setting them up with a shot at reaching another Super Bowl, the 6th of the Belichick-Brady era. Despite losing Rob Gronkowski to another season ending injury, Wes Welker to the Broncos and Aaron Hernandez to unforeseen circumstances New England continue to grind out victories this season. If anything despite their problems they have gone back to basics in recent weeks following Gronk's injury against Cleveland and have established a power running game with LaGarrette Blount leading the way by decimating opposing offenses. His season is picking up at the right time with the 27 year old running back becoming a key part of New England's offense heading in to the postseason; he set a team-record 344 all-purpose yards along with a personal best 189 yards on the ground and two touchdowns in the season finale against Buffalo.

Brady and Blount celebrating

Along with Blount the Patriots have Stevan Ridley who is perfect for the one-two punch running game to go with Blount. Ridley has speed and elusiveness which can go a long way to helping the Pats succeed in the playoffs providing he can cut out the high profile fumbling issues that surround him. Thankfully the emergence of Blount takes the pressure of of Ridley as being labelled as the team's primary running back and when you take in to account that fellow back Shane Vereen is one of Tom Brady's favourite targets it shows you the talent the Patriots still have on this team despite their many losses. Vereen is a valuable weapon in a depleted passing game with him turning up in the big games like the one against the Broncos earlier in the season. Vereen missed a chunk of games with a broken wrist but has 427 yards and 3 touchdown receptions on the year and he will be an asset to this offense heading in to win or go home time.

The key tonight will be the success of the Pats offense as Tom Brady has the ability and the know how to pick off weak points in the Indianapolis secondary. He will use the run game whenever necessary and thanks to its success he can rely on play-action plays which he executes to perfection. Brady has a 99.8 passer rating on play-action passes this season in comparison to his general passer rating for the year of 87.3. Despite the statistics he has improved in the second half of the year and finished the regular season with 4,343 passing yards along with 25 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. The offensive line will need to protect the superstar quarterback from the Colts' main pass rusher Robert Mathis who has been rejuvenated this year with the 33 year old playing one of the best seasons of his illustrious career; he leads the league with 19.5 sacks this season and when you consider the team themselves have 42 on the year that is outstanding.

Brady has Julian Edeleman in the passing game to rely on like he has done throughout most of 2013 especially when Gronk missed the early part of the season and since his season ending injury. Julian Edelman defines what a Bill Belichick player is all about as he is so productive in the head coaches system and has come up big with Brady in many matches this year. For the first time in his career Edeleman hauled in over 100 catches and racked up over 1000 receiving yards as he finished the regular season with 6 touchdowns. With rookie wideout Aaron Dobson ruled out and Kenbrell Thompkins questionable it falls to the likes of Edelman, Vereen and 2013 summer acquisition Danny Amendola to get things done for Terrific Tom in the passing game. Personally I feel now is the time for Amendola to shine as he has shown his toughness to overcome injuries and he clearly has a good rapport with Brady that will be effective enough to come up big when it matters most which is now in the playoffs.

Despite a troublesome groin injury and some growing pains in this offense Amendola ended the regular season with 663 receiving yards and two touchdowns. With the Patriots' playoff journey starting tonight Amendola will need to pull his weight and ensure he can reach Edelman's level of production so that Brady has two valuable and reliable wideouts. The playoffs are a clean slate and anything can happen which is something we have seen a lot over recent years as getting hot can end with your team lifting that Lombardi trophy high in the sky. Tom Brady and the Patriots may be 7-7 in the postseason since 2005, he started his career with 10 straight postseason wins, but Terrific Tom holds the record for most playoff victories with 17. Three more wins would leave him on an unprecedented 20 victories in crunch time and with a 4th Super Bowl ring from 6 appearances in the big one cementing his place as the greatest QB to play the game. Each of the last three times the Colts and Patriots have gone head to head in the postseason has resulted in the winner going on to win the Super Bowl so whoever comes out on top tonight could well go on to win it all come February 2nd at MetLife Stadium. For the Patriots they always confront adversity full in the face and a victory tonight will show their metal. Defying the odds are what great teams are made of so if Tom Brady and co pull out a win tonight who's to say that can't go all the way because when the games on the line there's nobody better than Brady to lead your team in to battle. 

It's playoff time!

Patriots move to 4-0; on to the next one!

Easy work on Sunday night!

Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to a fantastic 30-23 road victory against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football. It ensured that the Pats moved on to 4-0 for the third time in Bill Belichick's tenure and it was the head coach's 209th win which moved him to joint 5th all-time with Chuck Noel. It was a back to the future performance for Tom Brady who just seems to keep on getting better with age even despite being surrounded by a cast of rookie receivers. The future hall of fame quarterback is pulling off a great achievement with this receiving core and he is helping turn these players in to legitimate NFL wideouts so early on in their careers; Brady finished Sunday night's game with a season high of 316 passing yards completing 20 out of 31 passes.

Not for the first time this season we saw the Patriots defense come up big with Aqib Talib being the stand out performer versus Atlanta as he hauled in an interception early on as well as the providing the game-sealing defensive breakup in the end zone to stop the Falcons late comeback attempt. Unfortunately Vince Wilfork suffered a season ending injury when he tore his achilles on Sunday night which has come as a massive blow for this Patriots team. The franchise has the 'next man up' approach but he will be a big miss. Thankfully for New England its entire defense has been contributing so far this season which has been a big factor in this four game winning streak; they are tied for 6th in forced fumbles recovering 3 out of 5 and are tied for 10th in interceptions with five picks. This defense is for real and despite Wilfork's absence Belichick will find a way to make things work.

Tom Brady has won 140 games to just 39 losses which is outstanding. He has 45,820 passing yards and a fantastic touchdown to interception ratio of 341-125. With this limited offense people dared to doubt the Golden Boy but he has built up a good rapport with the likes of Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins as well as utilised Julian Edelman and even connected with Mike Mulligan for a touchdown on Sunday night. The running game has looked good with a well-run combined attack which saw Blount rush for 64 yards and a score, Ridley get 53 yards as well as Bolden chip in with 17 from 6 carries.

The offense will get stronger when Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola return from injury; two valuable weapons who Brady can rely on and will help take this team to another level. Tom Brady is working miracles at the moment I mean could Peyton Manning, Drew Brees or Alex Smith make things work with this receiving core? No. The Patriots are a Super Bowl contender if they have a healthy roster heading in to the playoffs and after starting the season 4-0 they’re on course for an impressive regular season.

Season Prediction: With the way things currently stand the next chapter of Brady and Manning could be on the cards in a potential mouth-watering AFC Championship game. Picture a Star Wars scenario with Wes Welker as Anakin Skywalker and he has left to join Emperor Peyton Manning on the dark side. Brady, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his young receivers, they can represent Luke Skywalker, will go on the road to Mile High in a high stakes affair with the winner going to New York to play in Super Bowl XLVIII. Regular season: 13-3

who would prevail?

3-0 an omen or just a coincidence?

On the last two occasions that the New England Patriots have started a season 3-0 they have gone on to reach the Super Bowl. The 2004 season saw the team defend their Super Bowl crown from 2003 as the team went on to repeat their success from the year before and become back to back champions. In 2007 it appeared they would achieve something greater than that period of dominance as the team dominated the league entirely by finishing the 2007 regular season undefeated 16-0 and advancing to the Super Bowl with an 18-0 record before unfortunately falling at the final hurdle.

2004's team was built around one of the best defenses in the league and on offense Tom Brady was efficient despite not having any real standout receiving options but it was the collective efforts from the likes of Troy Brown, David Givens, Deion Branch and David Patten which helped the team succeed. Brady in 2004 threw 28 touchdowns to 14 interceptions and 5 touchdowns to 0 interceptions in that post-season; It wasn't until the 2007 season when we saw Brady throw over 30 touchdowns for the first time in his career as he went on to break the regular season record for passing touchdowns with 50.

Despite the 2007 team being a more complete team than any of the Patriots' three Super Bowl winning teams they lost to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII as they missed out on being undefeated for the whole year. They are still arguably one of the greatest sporting rosters of all-time let alone in the NFL but the Lombardi trophy eluded them on that particular occasion. Here we are six seasons later and there have been many changes in New England especially ahead of the current 2013 season as the team entered a period of transition with many of Tom Brady's receiving options being rookies as opposed to an explosive receiving core from 2012 which featured the likes of Wes Welker and Aaron Hernandez.

Despite some doubt surrounding the Patriots going in to the start of the year the team managed to grind out two early season victories over the Bills and the Jets before a solid win over Tampa Bay last week 23-3. At 3-0 is it possible to assume the Patriots could make it to MetLife stadium in February 2014 for an eighth Super Bowl appearance? Well it is impossible to ever rule the Patriots out as they will always contend with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady but it is too early in the season to make Super Bowl predictions for any team in the league as there is still a long way to go.

In spite of that this Patriots team is improving week by week with Bill Belichick's defense on fire so far as they are second in points allowed, 11.3 per game, along with being tied for eight in total defense, 309 yards per game. The Patriots D has had many standout performers this year from the likes of the young Chandler Jones to unsung heroes such as Rob Ninkovich and Kyle Arrington. Aqib Talib and Jerod Mayo have also been impressive for New England and Vince Wilfork is as consistent on defense for this team as Tom Brady is on offense.

New England's defense is tied for eighth on third-down conversions allowed and they are the only team in the league to have allowed zero points in the fourth quarter which is incredible considering that run stretches over three games. With a big game against Atlanta coming up tomorrow night the form of the Patriots defense will stand them in good stead and considering they are doing well in turnovers and in the red zone, two things Belichick' defenses have always relied on, it is clear to see this group have lots of potential. The defense has created seven turnovers in three games leaving them tied for fifth in the league and is tied for having the 12th best red zone defense

How will 2013 end for the Patriots?

Since the 2009 season Tom Brady has needed a defense to help out the Patriots as in recent years the offense has carried the team at times but now it appears the offense is playing catch up to the defense when you look at the start of this 2013 season. The good news for all those involved with the Patriots is that with Tom Brady you have a future hall of fame quarterback leading the offense and a man who is hungry for his 4th Super Bowl ring so if anyone can make a set of rookie wideouts in to productive NFL receivers early on in their careers it is him.

Last week we saw Brady and Kenbrell Thompkins combine for two scores as the rookie showed off the type of display we saw from him during preseason. Aaron Dobson has showed he has lots of potential and racked up the most receiving yards out of the receivers last week. There will be lots of pressure of those two and Julian Edelman who Brady has relied on even more in recent weeks after Danny Amendola joined Rob Gronkowski on the sideline but the Patriots will walk in to the Georgia Dome in high spirits and confident of walking out 4-0.

On the past two occasions the teams have made the Super Bowl when starting 3-0 they have won their fourth game but regardless on tomorrow night's result it is clear to see this Patriots team will grow week by week. The more game time these rookie receivers get the more they will improve as a unit and tomorrow night will be a valuable experience. The Patriots will have to deal without Gronkowski and Amendola tomorrow night; With the Falcons at 1-2 it is a tough game to call which could go either way whilst having the potential to be a thriller but to win tomorrow night the Patriots needs to improve on its red zone woes as the Falcons pose a stronger threat than any other team they faced so far.

Looking ahead at the rest of the 2013 season if the Patriots roster is healthy come the start of the playoffs they have to be considered a contender represent the AFC at Super Bowl XLVIII. Rob Gronkowski will open up the field for the other offensive weapons which will be beneficial for the rookies plus it will give the likes of Edelman and Amendola the ability to have a bigger impact on the field. From an offensive point of view the running game will also be critical to the team’s success as they look to get something going from there various options with Shane Vereen, Legarrette Blount, Brandon Bolden, and Stevan Ridley all on the roster.

There is no coincidence in the Patriots' success as the franchise has been strong for over the last decade and although the Super Bowl is a long way away with the potential on both sides of the ball New England has a lot to be excited about for the future so if things go to plan 2013 could potentially finish with a fairytale ending for all those involved with the franchise.

AFC East Preview

Since the turn of the millennium the New England Patriots have won 10 out of 13 AFC East titles. The Patriots are the team to beat and have dominated the division as well as the NFL in the early 2000's when they won three Super Bowls in four years; 2001, 2003 and 2004. In 2012 New England broke a tie with the Dolphins for most division titles; The Patriots have won 15 division titles to Miami's 14 with the Bills on ten and the Jets on four.

To decide which team is the greatest threat to New England's throne in the AFC East is tough and we will preview all four teams by taking a look at the Patriots' chances along with how the Jets, Bills and Dolphins will do to see if anyone can topple them:


Buffalo Bills

When you think about unlucky sports teams look no further than the Buffalo Bills. The team lost 4 Super Bowls in a row in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993. To add further salt to their wounds the team currently has the longest playoff drought in the league as they have not appeared in the postseason since 1999. The doom and gloom has continued as the Bills also have the longest active streak of losing seasons as they have not finished .500 or better since 2004.

CJ Spiller is one of the Bills top talents

So how will the Bills perform in 2013? It is their first season under new head coach Doug Marrone and the Bills will start the new season with first round draft pick E.J. Manuel as the teams quarterback so to be honest their 2013 season will be based around his production. C.J. Spiller, Marquise Goodwin and T.J. Graham are all talented players on the Buffalo offense but it is going to be hard to have a successful season especially when their defense is getting a makeover as well.

Doug Marrone will entertain the fans with a fast run offense and their unpredictability may help them throughout the season but it is hard to see this team progressing further than 6-10 record wise. The Bills' main aim will be to keep Jarius Byrd on their roster as the pro bowl safety is being linked with a host of teams including divisional rivals the New England Patriots. Kyle Williams is probably the key player on the Buffalo defense as he has the versatility to play nose tackle and defensive tackle. On offense C.J. Spiller has the ability to win them close games but the question is how many of their games will be close enough for someone to step up and put W's in their column. 2013 is hard to predict for this franchise but their best hope will be to see a productive year out of E.J. Manuel and ensure they don't finish bottom of the AFC East for a 6th successive season.

Season prediction: 5-11. 4th in AFC East.


Miami Dolphins:

Head coach Joe Philbin was hired to in an attempt to revitalize the Dolphins and hopefully end a run of three consecutive losing seasons. Despite Dan Marino's best attempts Miami missed out on the signing of future hall of fame quarterback Peyton Manning so instead turned to the draft where they picked up former Texas A&M man Ryan Tannehill has the 8th overall pick. Tannehill had a productive 2012 as he helped the Dolphins finish 2nd in the AFC East with a 7-9 and went on to set franchise rookie records for passing yards, attempts, and completions.

Will Tannehill & the Dolphins progress in 2013?

Tannehill was hurt by the team's poor offensive line with the rookie throwing 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions; it is natural to assume he will progress in 2013 but O-line issues are hard to ignore. Nevertheless the Dolphins were the biggest spenders in the 2013 off-season and regardless of some weaknesses they have improved their team on both sides of the ball although usually the big spenders don't perform too well once it actually comes to game time. Brian Hartline signed a new deal with Miami after coming of his best career season whilst the Dolphins added an explosive weapon to their offense when they signed former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Mike Wallace. Despite his talents Wallace will need time to make an impact as this team gels together and the same can be said for the defense as despite some very good acquisitions such as linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Phillip Wheeler they will need time to adjust and grow as a unit. Cornerback Brent Grimes was also a good signing for the Dolphins who joined on a one year contract.

So in 2013 the Dolphins have a chance to end their losing season woes but it will come down to if they can come out victorious in the close games a 2012 saw them lose narrowly against the Cardinals, Jets, Bills and Colts. If they can improve on their divisional matchups they would like to think they have a shot at being a wildcard team but record wise I personally feel they are set to finish at 8-8 and 2nd in the AFC East for the second year running.

Season prediction: 8-8. 2nd in AFC East.


New England Patriots

Tom Brady heads in to 2013 season without key members of a prolific offense from last year which broke the record for first downs in a season with 444 and finished third all-time in scoring, 557 points, just behind the 2011 Green Bay Packers and their own 2007 record setting season. Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez, Danny Woodhead and Brandon Lloyd have all departed while Rob Gronkowski underwent a 3rd and 4th forearm surgery this off-season as well as back surgery so his return to the field could take up until week 6 and he looks doubtful for the season opener against the Bills tomorrow.

Can Brady and Belichick guide the Pats to their 4th ring?

The Patriots offense now features many new additions with most of them being rookies but preseason alone showed that Brady seems to be making it work with the likes of Kenbrell Thompkins, Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Zach Sudfeld. 2nd round pick Dobson has lots of potential are notably during his senior season at college he did no record a single drop from the 92 times he was targeted. Josh Boyce and Thompkins put up impressive numbers during preseason so they could be valuable assets whilst undrafted rookie Zach Sudfield who stands at 6'7 has the ability to be a Gronk 2.0. Speaking of 2.0's Danny Amendola was signed in favour of retaining Wes Welker's services and the Patriots will be hoping for similar results out of Amendola with both resilient along with being quick and mobile. Amendola is also a fellow Texas Tech product and after building up a good rapport with Tom Brady it is safe to say he should fit in to the Patriots' offensive system quickly. Brady has a knack for bringing the best out of his receivers which is a skill not many quarterbacks have and if he manages to produce great results out of this unknown group and win a 4th Super Bowl ring too he may certainly cement his place as the greatest QB to ever play the game. This is backed up by the fact that he holds the league record for most touchdown passes in the regular season with 50, has the most playoff wins in NFL history with 17, has the third highest career passer rating of all-time (96.6) and after breaking Joe Montana's playoff wins record also became the first NFL quarterback in history to guide his team to 10 divisional titles; With Joe Montana he's one of only two quarterbacks in history to win the regular season MVP and Super Bowl MVP as well as being one of only two QB's to lead their teams to 5 Super Bowls (3 wins) along with John Elway.

When you take the fact that this offense is led by head coach Bill Belichick, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Tom Brady even when you throw an unknown group of players in with them if anything it is scarier for their opponents as without the players who departed they won't know what to expect which is what still makes the Patriots a genuine Super Bowl contender. Their running game is dangerous and will improve whereas New England's defense doesn't get enough credit for the fact that they have finished in the top 10 in points allowed for six of the past seven years. After drafting the likes of linebacker Jamie Collins in the second round from the 2013 draft and adding him to a young talented group of players that include the likes of Chandler Jones, Dont'a Hightower as well as defensive leaders Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes this could be one of the Patriots' most talented defensive groups in years. With Aqib Talib signing a new contract he will be a real asset in the secondary and help this underrated defense improve in an area where they have been pretty vulnerable for the past two seasons. MetLife stadium is the aim for many teams for the 2013 season but when you assess the New England Patriots it is clear to see that they are one of the frontrunners to represent the AFC at Super Bowl and clinch a fifth consecutive AFC East title.

Season prediction: 12-4. 1st in AFC East.


New York Jets

Despite a defense that ranked 8th overall in the league the New York Jets failed considerably on offense and fell from an 8-8 team in 2011 to 6-10 in 2012. Their 281 points scored was the third worst total in the league ranking them 30th and despite not improving adding any real game changers to the offense they did draft Geno Smith who entered the 2013 draft out of West Virginia hoping to go in the first round before falling to the Jets in 2nd. With a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove Smith will want to hold on to the starting job that he has gained after Mark Sanchez got hurt during preseason. For many Jets fans they would consider this a blessing in disguise, something Tim Tebow wasn't fortunate enough to receive, as now Smith will lead the team in their week one opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Although Rex Ryan may not be the best head coach he is a good defensive coordinator so the Jets know they can rely on good defense especially when Ryan can be more aggressive with his play-calling considering that their offense is usually so abysmal. Smith has nothing to lose as he takes over a low scoring offense which was being led by a guy who will probably be remembered for the 'butt fumble' wherever he goes for the rest of his life.

But that was in the past and Jets followers will feel their defense gives them a chance in 2013 which it does providing the likes of Quiton Coples, DeMario Davis and Sheldon Richardson step up to the plate. Everyone on that side of the ball must come up big especially after Darelle Revis left for Tampa Bay. Unfortunately for the Jets there isn't too much you can say without sounding harsh so to finish I shall say that providing Geno Smith stays on the field who knows what could happen but realistically Rex Ryan will need an 8-8 season to hold on to his job and that is what they'll achieve at best but in all honesty after owner Woody Johnson sacked their former general manager Mike Tannenbaum after the 2012 campaign he should have done the same to Ryan because only when you start from absolute scratch can you hope to rebuild towards a better future.

FUMBLE!

Season prediction: 6-10. 3rd in AFC East.

New England Patriots final 53-man roster projection

The New England Patriots wrapped up their preseason with a solid 28-20 victory over the New York Giants last night. Now the team has to cut its roster to the final 53-man squad by 6pm on Saturday. With the likes of Quentin Sims and George Winn putting in very good performances they have given coach Belichick food for thought. Tim Tebow connected with Sims on two great touchdown plays and despite some bad moments this guy showed nothing keeps him down. Ryan Mallett and Josh Boyce both showed off their skills especially on their 40 yard touchdown play. Michael Buchanan almost all but confirmed his roster spot last night whilst Jake Bequette played well in the preseason finale to show he's not giving up hope of making the team.

Roster Selection:

OFFENSE:

Quarterbacks (3): Tom Brady, Ryan Mallett, Tim Tebow

I'm sticking with the three quarterbacks. The Patriots have only kept 2 QB's on their roster in 3 of the past 4 seasons but Bill Belichick would not have signed Tim Tebow for no reason even if that reason is to develop him as a quarterback under the guidance of himself and Josh McDaniels plus you know we will see Tebow score against the Jets on September 12th and that in itself is a good enough reason to select him. Ryan Mallett will hang around for years to come in New England; you can see he's growing thanks to the franchise and that to get the chance to learn from Tom Brady has been very beneficial to this young man. To have 3 talented quarterbacks in a rarity so for the 2013 season its worth keeping these three around.

Running Backs (4): Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen Leon Washington, LeGarrette Blount

I'm sticking with my four running backs from the last roster projection and here are the reasons why: Stevan Ridley established himself as a top running back and despite some fumbling troubles he is number one on this team. Shane Vereen's speed and ability to play at wide receiver make him a sure pick for coach Belichick due to his versatility plus Vereen seems to have built up a good rapport with Tom Brady. Leon Washington can offer the team something new on special teams and LeGarrette Blount beats out Brandon Bolden as this teams power running back thanks to a more productive preseason; Blount lead the way on the ground with two touchdowns. Bolden has pass catching ability but that's not enough for him to make the cut especially when George Winn did more in one game last night than Bolden has all preseason but sadly for Winn it may be a little to late despite his 54 yards from 14 carries and a score but don't rule this young man out just yet as he could be a surprise choice although regardless of what happens he will make the practice squad.

Wide Receivers (6): Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce, Julian Edelman, Kenbrell Thompkins, Matthew Slater,

Last time I had Jenkins and Jones in my roster projection with seven wideouts for New England but now the consensus seems to be on these 6 guys. Jones was cut a day after my last projection and Jenkings had lacklusture preseason. Their replacement Kenbrell Thompkins had a standout game against Lions where we hauled in 8 catches for 116 yards where he helped showcase his abilities. The undrafted rookie out of Cincinnati  has shown he could lock down the 'X' role in an explosive offense. Along with Josh Boyce and Aaron Dobson these three young talented rookies could all have great years especially as they have Tom Brady throwing to them. Danny Amendola has shown throughout preseason that him and Tom Brady are building a brilliant rapport whilst Julian Edelman will look to build on an impressive 2012 before his injury unfortunately brought his season to an end. Finally Slater earns a spot thanks to his solidness on special teams. Quentin Sims but in a great display against the Giants last night to put himself on Bill Belichick's radar and although it may be too late to make the roster cut you can expect to see him on the practice squad.

Tight Ends (4): Rob Gronkowski, Jake Ballard, Michael Hoomanawanui, Zach Sudfield

Superstar tight-end Rob Gronkowski is a surefire bet. Although he is in a race against time to be fit for week one it would be silly for the Patriots to put him on the PUP list as he'd then be unavailable for 6 weeks. Bill Belichick knows how manage his players and has two very capable tight-ends in the shape of Jake Ballard and Michael Hoomanawanui; both will be hoping to thrive in an explosive offense and both can block as well as help with the run game. With the pair both just 25 years old now is the time to make a name for themselves especially if the wake of a certain former Patriots tight-end's departure who shall not be named. Finally the fourth tight end roster selection will be undrafted rookie from Nevada Zach Sudfield. Sudfield has the size and catching ability to be a very effective offensive weapon, ring any bells, and during preseason he was impressive as he racked up 101 receiving yards from 8 receptions and for one touchdown which came against Tampa Bay in week 2 of preseason.

Offensive Line (8): Nate Solder, Logan Mankins, Sebastian Vollmer, Dan Connolly, Ryan Wendell, Marcus Cannon, Will Svitek, Chris McDonald

Solder, Mankins and Vollmer pick themselves. They are essential to the Patriots offensive line and the same can be said for the likes of Dan Connolly and Ryan Wendell as they offer the stability and consistency required. Markus Zusevics was my pick last time to make the roster but unfortunately an injury has come at a bad time meaning that Will Svitek all but guarantees his roster spot. Svitek has improved over the course of preseason anyway. Marcus Cannon will be around for another year but the 8th spot will seemingly go to Chris McDonald with the rookie out of Michigan State impressing during the offseason and in a sense beating out the likes of Kevin Haslem and Nick McDonald who both departed.


DEFENSE:

Defensive Ends (6): Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Michael Buchanan, Justin Francis, Jake Bequette, Marcus Benard


Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich were probably the only surefire bets before preseason even began. I'm sticking with Michael Buchanan from my last roster projection especially after a very good performance last night against the Giants. Justin Francis is solid enough to make the cut. Marcus Benard is another player enjoying the ride and his good preseason form gets him a place in the squad whilst Jake Bequette's performance against the Giants last night has done enough in my mind to prove he is capable of being productive for New England.

Defensive Tackles (4): Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly, Marcus Forston, Jermaine Cunningham

The Patriots are limited for options at defensive tackle but thankfully the group is led but the outstanding Vince Wilfork. Tommy Kelly helps provide a great 1-2 punch with Big Vince whilst Marcus Forston is good enough to keep around. I have shifted Jermaine Cunningham to defensive tackle after already selecting six defensive end's; Cunningham sneaks on to the roster now that Armond Armstead is out for at least 6 weeks and with Cory Grissom being placed on season-ending IR it makes sense to select Cunningham for the 53-man roster.

Linebackers (5): Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Dont'a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Dane Fletcher

I'm sticking with the same 5 linebackers as they all have unique talents and will all be beneficial to the Patriots. Jerod Mayo is a defensive leader and crucial to any success New England will have on defense. Dont'a Hightower will look to improve on a good rookie season in 2012. Brandon Spikes seems to improve year by year and will look to do the same in 2013. As for Dane Fletcher and Jamie Collins well you can expect the two to get plenty reps on special teams. Collins will be looking to show off his potential whenever he has the chance as the second round pick out of Southern Miss is a player that the Patriots have high hopes for.

Cornerbacks (5): Aqib Talib, Kyle Arrington, Marquice Cole, Logan Ryan, Alfonzo Dennard


Marquice Cole in for Ras-I Dowling is my one change at the cornerback position. Cole is all but in unless the Patriots bring another body in. Logan Ryan's development will continue while the likes of Dennard and Arrington are given another year to try and prove themselves. The Patriots need results in the secondary so they will be hoping someone can step up and help take the pressure off of Aqib Talib who will be looking to lead the group with some stellar performances. Talib came up big for New England during the second half of last season and now is his chance to prove himself as one of the best shutdown corners in the league.

Safety (5): Devin McCourty, Adrian Wilson, Tavon Wilson, Duron Harmon, Steve Gregory

Last time round I had the young Nate Ebner in but sadly I think he will miss out come cut day tomorrow. Although he can offer help on special teams the Patriots already have enough of that so they will rely on the likes of Steve Gregory and Devin McCourty to offer them stability as well as reliability at the position as the groups production increases. The likes of Tavon Wilson and Duron Harmon may be young but their talent will offer the Patriots something different. Adrian Wilson has rumours around him regarding being cut after a lackluster preseason but I think the veteran will get one last chance. The Patriots were hoping he would offer them the defensive leadership they have lacked and craved since the early 2000 dynasty but right now it appears Wilson may have lost a step but hopefully come the regular season Adrian Wilson will start to show his class.


Special Teams (3): Steve Gostkowski, Zoltan Mesko, Danny Aiken

Gostkowski will be looking to bounce back after a rocky 2012. Zoltan Mesko was given a good run by rookie punter Ryan Allen but as Mesko is one of the best punters in the league he will retain his job. Danny Aiken keeps his job as long snapper.