Pittsburgh Steelers vs New England Patriots

Tonight sees the return of the NFL as the road to Super Bowl 50 begins and we have a mouth-watering encounter for opening night with Ben Roethlisberger's Steelers heading to Gillette Stadium to face an old foe in the form of Tom Brady and the defending champions New England.

The Steelers will look to gate-crash tonight's party at Foxboro as the Patriots unveil their fourth Super Bowl winners banner before giving the team a heroes reception as they step on to the field especially Tom Brady who has an to endure a troublesome offseason with the drama of 'Deflategate' and he more than anyone will be glad to get back to playing football. The last time the Patriots were involved in controversy was back in 2007 with 'Spygate' which seemed to ignite a spark in Bill Belichick's team and saw them finish the regular season 16-0 so who would bet against Bill and Tom pulling off one more masterclass this season just to rub further salt in to the wounds of Roger Goodell.

An undefeated season is a long way away and admittedly talking about one is crazy especially in week one plus as we know going unbeaten doesn't guarantee you a Super Bowl ring as the Pats found out back in 2007 (ask Peyton Manning too) but those demons were put to rest back in February so now its onwards and upwards. The quest for a fifth championship will be very tough especially against a Steelers team that has a powerful offense led by their two time Super Bowl winning quarterback. Big Ben and Mike Tomlin are quite the force themselves and they will have prepared their game plan very well for tonight looking to exploit a Patriots secondary that has seen Revis and Browner depart which I am sure will take a few weeks to sort out.

There are suspicions that Devin McCourty will move to corner but as the linchpin of the teams secondary at his normal position of safety taking Devin back to his old position at corner where he endured some struggles early in his career could be a risk especially as he himself has said that if he is moved to the outside that he hopes it isn't permanent. It will be interesting to see how Malcom Butler kicks on after his Super Bowl heroics especially as he will see a lot more snaps this season following the departures mentioned above.

With there being concerns regarding New England's secondary the Steelers will look to use Big Ben's rocket arm to exploit any holes downfield and he could well do so as he has arguably the most dynamic receiver in the NFL at his disposal in Antonio Brown. Brown is poised to have a fantastic year but without Martavis Bryant opposite him for the first four games of the season due to suspension as well as the fact that the brilliant Le'Veon Bell is suspended tonight as well so the Steelers’ game plan could become rather predictable.

When coming up against Bill Belichick it is very hard to spring a surprise on the Patriots head coach and considering that without Bell the Steelers will lack any real threat in the running game it will be interesting to see if Mike Tomlin has anything up his sleeve. Wide receiver Markus Wheaton will get a chance in these first four games to prove his worth to the Steelers offense without Bryant as he will step up to WR2; Roethlisberger will have to release his passes quickly which does basically sound like using a recipe for success that has worked so well for Tom Brady and the Pats over the years against themselves tonight.

That will be key to any success the Steelers have offensively tonight especially as the Patriots front 7 on defense this year looks incredible so running the ball on them will be extremely difficult as well as passing in the middle of the field as Jerod Mayo, Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins are three incredible linebackers who know how to get the job done. The loss of Mayo to a season ending injury last campaign appeared to be troublesome for New England at first but in fact it increased the responsibility for Collins and Hightower which sky rocketed their development with the two excelling in pressure situations which ultimately gave the defense a new identity and was truly influential in helping the Pats win the Super Bowl last season.

On the flip side of things the Steelers defense is not what it once was in terms of your typical hard defense that themselves and the Baltimore Ravens are known for over in the AFC North. The Steelers are going through a transitional stage on that side of the ball and despite the fact that Tom Brady won't have former Steeler Lagarrette Blount to hand the ball of tonight everyone knows that Brady is more than comfortable in throwing the ball 35-45 times tonight and getting the job done through the air. If anything that will suit Brady as I am sure he is so pumped up and fuelled with the fire inside to get on the field tonight to just get back to playing football and show why he is the greatest quarterback of all-time.

The 4 time winning Super Bowl QB is also without wideout Brandon LaFell but his rapport with Julian Edelman is impeccable so you can expect the two to have a great season together. Danny Amendola will look to kick on following his impressive postseason and establish himself in the offense. The most exciting sign for Patriots is Scott Chandler being paired with superstar Rob Gronkowski as this could be the new two-headed monster that the team has longed for at the tight end position. The Patriots will be incredible in the red zone tonight with these two on the field especially with Edelman and Amendola running the slants and then when Blount is back you can add a power running game in to their arsenal which will only make the red zone offense more devastating.

The Steelers will try their best to catch the Patriots off guard and may even throw in some surprise nickel and dime packages on defense but a New England win appears to be well on the cards tonight. With the red zone threat mentioned above despite the Patriots having some uncertainties in their own running game they'll be able to pass their way through the Steelers as they don't have the personnel to jam the Patriots weapons at the line and stop them. With opening nights there are usually fireworks but they are also prone for error as during the early weeks the teams get a feel for the new season with what is working and what isn't but with this old rivalry being renewed I think we can expect more fireworks than anything else with Tom Brady bringing home a victory to a crowd of happy Patriots!

Prediction: Steelers 17-27 Patriots

Big Ben has two wins to Brady's 5 in their head to head

Gone in 73 seconds: Patriots last gasp victory ends Saints' unbeaten run!

A half empty Gillette Stadium witnessed one of the greatest ends to a game in recent memory. With 73 seconds left and no timeouts remaining who else would you want leading your offense in to the last chance saloon other than Tom Brady. After all it was Terrific Tom who rallied the Patriots to victory in Louisiana at Super Bowl XXXVI when the team had no timeouts and just 1:30 left in regulation.

After turning the ball over on downs deep in their own half a Garrett Hartley field goal put New Orleans up 27-23 leaving the Pats needing a touchdown. Brady gathered the troops but then threw an interception on the first play of the drive shortly before the two minute warning which appeared to confirm defeat for Bill Belichick's team. The Saints offense was thwarted by New England's defense with their big stops giving Tom Brady and co had a chance to win the game.

The offense moved with urgency with the first pass completed when Brady hit Edelman in the middle of the field on a 23 yard play before throwing over the middle again on the second play of the drive to Austin Collie for the 15 yard reception. With time ticking away the team hurried to line but Brady was as composed as ever as he completed an important 6 yard pass to Aaron Dobson on the sideline with the rookie wideout being dragged out of bounds forcing the clock to stop.

At this point it appeared anything could happen but after two incomplete passes it looked like the Saints may hold out for the win as arguably the most crucial moment of the drive came up with the Patriots needing 4 yards to keep their hopes alive; Brady hit Collie on the left side for 9 yards to get the first down. The team spiked the ball after quickly lining up in formation meaning that with 10 seconds to go the team realistically had two shots at the end zone to win the game.

But the Patriots only needed one attempt with Brady showing why he is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time by keeping calm and composed as he hit Thompkins in the left corner of the end zone with a perfect throw over the arms of the helpless defensive back Jabari Greer. The three-time Super Bowl champion had done it; his 342nd career touchdown pass, tying him with Fran Tarkenton for fourth all-time, was one fans of the Patriots will remember for years to come as getting a win with 5 seconds to go against very good opposition is something you don't forget quickly.

A picture perfect throw!

It's the 37th time Tom Brady has led the Patriots to victory from a fourth-quarter deficit or tie as well as the fifth game in his illustrious career in which Brady threw a game-winning TD pass in the final minute to turn a New England deficit into a win. The win over New Orleans will give Bill Belichick's men a new found belief and confidence in themselves especially the young guys. This is extremely valuable as soon they will be approaching the business end of the season and will want to claim a bye in the playoffs so to get a momentous win like this can only be a good thing.

The Patriots are now 5-1 are now tied for the second best record in the league and are heading in to a big divisional rival matchup against the Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium which will host the upcoming Super Bowl in around 4 months. The young guys will get a feel and taste of a stadium which will host the big game come the end of the season so a memorable win over the Jets may even inspire the team to push even harder to go one step further and have a shot at creating an even more memorable experience by getting back to MetLife in February.

Unfortunately for New England the injuries are piling up with defensive captain Jerod Mayo officially being placed on injured reserve yesterday meaning he joins Vince Wilfork on the sidelines for the rest of the 2013 season. Cornerback Aqib Talib also sustained a hip injury on Sunday which is not good news considering he is one of the best shutdown corners in the league and was instrumental in keeping Saints tight end Jimmy Graham at bay as he finished the match with no catches; thankfully Dennard, Arrington and McCourty all contributed in making sure Graham was kept quiet by doing their part defensively.

On offense Danny Amendola suffered a nasty head injury leaving him with a concussion which is not good news for an already thin New England receiving core. After some key catches on Sunday during that final drive Austin Collie could play against the Jets while Dobson and Thompkins continue to get better and better week by week as well as the fact that the Patriots are still waiting on superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski to make his long awaited return to the field. Stevan Ridley had his best performance of the season with two touchdown runs for 110 yards so the offense is clearly progressing.

Despite the defensive injuries mentioned already the team re-signed DT Andre Neblett whilst Dont'a Hightower could possibly take over Jerod Mayo's role; arguably it would suit it more than his current role considering that is where he played most at Bama. Fellow Sophomore Chandler Jones is becoming extremely valuable to the D and came up with a big sack against the Saints whilst rookie Jamie Collins will see more game time due to the teams injuries. New England's defense has forced a turnover in 33 straight games which is the longest active NFL streak.

The Patriots have faced adversity early on in the season but 5 wins out of 6 is extremely impressive. There are many more challenges ahead but the old saying of 'next man up' is working for the team with the roster helping each other win games as a team through hard work and determination. There are trade rumours swirling regarding a wideout with Kenny Britt, Josh Gordan, Emmanuel Sanders and even Hakeem Nicks all possibilities for the Patriots offense. Regardless of that the Pats' defense and offense have proved their worth throughout these opening six games by helping each other grind out wins with quality performances which makes it clear to see that New England remains as one of the best teams in the National Football League.

Unlucky Rob!

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.

New England Patriots 53 man roster projection

With the preseason games just around the corner many members of the New England Patriots team will be hoping to prove themselves on the field ahead of the regular season in hope of a spot on the roster for the start of the 2013 campaign. The Patriots have a lot of competition at various positions on both sides of the ball so it will be interesting to see who makes the final roster; let us take a look at my stab at predicting the 53 man roster come September with the following projection:

I choose you!

OFFENSE:

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

Despite the extra roster spot when having just two QB's on the team being especially valuable to the Patriots in recent years I think Tim Tebow earns a spot on the team come crunch time. Obviously Tom Brady is a dead certainty as the future hall of famer looks to guide his team to their 4th Super Bowl Championship and with the Ryan Mallett to Cleveland trade rumours now all but gone he will definitely be on the squad too but whether Tebow makes it is a question everyone will have an opinion on.

Personally I think that although we know Tebow won't be taking any snaps away from Brady his versatility will be the decisive factor in Belichick selecting him as New England can try to use him in various scenarios. Belichick would not have signed the former Florida man as a publicity stunt and after he spends a year with Brady and McDaniels they can assess his skill-set throughout the season giving the franchise the ability to assess the situation properly next year.

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

Ridley is a guaranteed selection after his production last season and after lining up at wide receiver in training recently Shane Vereen will make the team as he offers the team versatility which is what Belichick loves. Leon Washington can offer New England something different at the special teams and arguably something they have lacked in recent seasons especially in the shape of a kick-off returner so it's worth him being chosen for the squad.

The three mentioned already are the sure fire bets but the 4th spot came down to either LeGarrette Blount or Brandon Bolden; Bolden has had recent injury problems and while the potential is there Blount is only 26 so despite being 3 years older than Bolden he has the advantage as he is reaching his physical prime as well as the fact that that he's been making some nice plays in training camp so far so my bet is that Blount beats out Bolden for the 4th running back spot.

Wide Receiver: Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman, Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce, Donald Jones, Michael Jenkins, Matthew Slater (7)

The battle to be a receiver on the New England Patriots' team this season is the most intriguing and the productivity of this year's receiving corps will be crucial in determining any success the Patriots have in 2013. Dobson and Boyce both have the potential to be valuable for New England but obviously with it both being their rookie year in the league predicting any success for either remains a mystery but nevertheless both make the roster and will hope to improve before the start of the season. Danny Amendola has built up a good rapport with Tom Brady so far and any fan of the Patriots will be excited to see how the two link up when the season starts as well as how their on the field relationship progresses during the campaign. Amendola has the talent to become a star and now that he has Tom Brady throwing to him I believe this will happen; we saw the same happen with Julian Edelman last season before his injury and remember he did start the 2012 season ahead of Wes Welker. With that being said it is safe to say that Edelman makes the roster with his versatility being a key asset to the Patriots at this moment in time.

With Aaron Hernandez now off the roster the next 3 wide receiving slots are as crucial as ever with the offense needing as many valuable weapons as possible. The current receiving core is drawing comparisons to a depth chart that included the likes of Jabar Gaffney yet still made the Super Bowl but as we know Tom Brady can make anyone produce the goods due to the fact that he is arguably the greatest quarterback ever with this being one of the arguments why. Matthew Slater's familiarity earns him a spot on the roster while Jenkins and Jones may well battle it out for the final receiving spot on the roster if Belichick decides to go with 6 wideouts which could very well happen but for now I'll say that both make the team as Jenkins is a reliable veteran option whereas Jones has some decent statistics from his time in Buffalo, most coming against the Patriots, and could therefore prove to be a surprisingly good acquisition once the season progresses.

Jenkins is in and Donald Jones is out. This could very well change before the season starts, but for now, the healthy player who has been hooking up with Brady has a better shot than Jones, who missed time during minicamp.

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Jenkins is in and Donald Jones is out. This could very well change before the season starts, but for now, the healthy player who has been hooking up with Brady has a better shot than Jones, who missed time during minicamp.

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

Rob Gronkowski is in a race against time to be ready for the start of the season and following the Aaron Hernandez saga the Patriots are facing the possibility of going from having two superstar tight-ends to none for week 1 of the 2013 season. Gronkowski will be ready to cause havoc on opposing defenses eventually but in the event of his absence during the start of the season the likes of Jake Ballard and Michael Hoomanawanui will get the chance to try and make an impact for the team during the teams early games.

It's safe to safe after Hernandez being cut from the team that Ballard and Hoomanawanui make the roster; the fourth tight end spot goes to the 6'7 man out of Nevada Zach Sudfeld who signed as an undrafted free agent on in May and has the potential to be a possible diamond in the rough for Bill Belichick. All three will have the responsibility of trying to produce the goods now that Aaron Hernandez has been cut but as long as Rob Gronkowski gets back to full health the Patriots know they have a superstar they can rely on as well as having Tom Brady's most valuable weapon at their disposal.

Offensive Line: Nate Solder, Logan Mankins, Sebastian Vollmer, Dan Connolly, Ryan Wendell, Nick McDonald, Marcus Cannon, Kevin Haslam, Markus Zusevics (9)

The likes of Solder, Mankins and Vollmer are all valuable assets to this team. Dan Connolly has improved season by season and Ryan Wendell will line up at centre again with Nick McDonald providing cover at that position as well as chipping in at guard. The offensive line needs familiarity that's why there aren't many changes from last year with the likes of Marcus Cannon also making the cut but this year Kevin Haslam and Markus Zusevic will get a chance to show what they can do.

Svitek was on my list but when you realise that this Patriots team is full of young faces it makes sense that they would choose a 5 year younger player in the shape of Haslam over Svitek plus Haslam came out of Rutgers and we all know how their connection runs deep. Zusevics makes the cut thanks to his versatility as the second year man his 2012 experience with the team under his belt and can offer cover at tackle and guard positions.


DEFENSE:

Defensive End: Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Justin Francis, Jermaine Cunningham, Michael Buchanan (5)

Chandler Jones is the surefire bet at this position; he will look to build on an impressive rookie season as his raw talent proved to be a valuable asset during the 2012 season. Coming in to his sophomore year Jones will be looking to make a bigger leap by continuing to assert himself as one of the NFL's best young ends. His ability to rush the passer will improve and if his production continues at a high rate he could help the Patriot's defense get back to what it was during its Super Bowl winnings years. Rob Ninkovich will want to continue his good form and increase in production. Jermaine Cunningham may well have a shot at the versatility role while Justin Francis also gets in based on versatility. Cunningham gets in thanks to former Rutgers man Francis moving inside; the two seem to have both improved from 2012 and if they are determined to succeed it will earn them a roster spot.

I've projected 5 players at this position and it was hard to leave Jake Bequette and Jason Vega out but both just give me the impression that they'll fall short which leaves the door open for 2013 draftee Michael Buchanan who I believe could be a real steal for New England. The 7th round pick's stock in the draft fell due to character concerns but the 6'5, 255 pound defensive end is athletic and has shown signs of potential that could prove valuable especially as he possesses the ability to fit in to either a 3-4 or 4-3 defense thanks to the fact that his strength helps him in the pass rush as well as against opposing offensive linemen.

Jake Bequette

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Jake Bequette

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Jake Bequette

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Defensive Tackle: Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly, Armond Armstead (3)

With Vince Wilfork being the lone survivor on defense from the Patriots' last Super Bowl winning team we know that he is pretty much as valuable to New England's defense as Tom Brady is to its offense! This year I see him teaming up with just two out and out tackles in the shape of Kelly and Armstead; the two's productivity will go a long way to determining the success of the Patriots' passing defense in 2013.

Marcus Forston could well make the roster but having Justin Francis move inside along with Cunningham able to play inside means that the Patriots are allowed to go thinner at the defensive tackle position in 2013. If the ends and tackles step up like it seems they can then they can go a long way to helping the Patriots rack up a respectable position among defensive rankings this season and in the long run the production of these guys will go a long way in to determining any success they have come playoff time.

Linebacker: Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Don’t’a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Dane Fletcher (5)

The linebackers all but pick themselves for the Patriots this season. Jerod Mayo is a key player on this team and Brandon Spikes continues to improve making him a must for New England. Don'ta Hightower is coming in to his second season in the league on a high following a very productive debut year in 2012. The team will hope for something similar from Jamie Collins with the 2nd round pick out of Southern Miss showing he could make a huge difference on the team's defense this year; his explosiveness, athleticism and versatility means he can play multiple positions for the Patriots and as we know as well as something that has been mentioned many times previously... Bill Belichick loves versatility.

Dane Fletcher may not be as versatile or athletic as any of the previous four linebackers mentioned but he is reliable and a good player to keep on the roster. The fact that new signing Adrian Wilson can also play linebacker means that five linebacker selections is fine for New England which is bad news for the likes of Beauharnais as it seems that he'll be deemed surplus to requirements and not make the cut. Like I said these five pretty much pick themselves and it will extremely interesting to see how the likes of Mayo, Spikes, Collins and Hightower play together as well as end Chandler Jones with the prospect of this year's defense wreaking havoc on opposing QB's being quite likely if all goes to plan.

Cornerback: Aqib Talib, Kyle Arrington, Ras-I Dowling, Logan Ryan, Alfonzo Dennard (5)

Like the linebacker position I believe that the corners pick themselves. Aqib Talib will look to prove himself again after showing how valuable he can be to this Patriot's secondary during the second half of the 2012 season. The shutdown corner has the ability to go up against any of the top wideouts in the game and after opting to sign just a one year extension with New England in a way it shows that Talib is set on proving himself being committing to a long term deal. We all know Dowling has talent but will injuries haunt him again? Well that remains to be seen; if they don't we will see how productive he can be but if the plague continues the Patriots will need to bring in someone else.

Third round pick of out Rutgers Logan Ryan was one of the most talented players at his position in this years draft and could be another steal for New England in the long run. Kyle Arrington makes the team for another season but Alfonzo Dennard has questions over his head following his recent arrest. If he stays he will look to improve from 2012 but for now if something happens to him or Dowling you can expect the Patriots to add at this position.

Aqib Talib, Alfonzo Dennard, Kyle Arrington, Logan Ryan, Ras-I Dowling

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Aqib Talib, Alfonzo Dennard, Kyle Arrington, Logan Ryan, Ras-I Dowling

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Aqib Talib, Alfonzo Dennard, Kyle Arrington, Logan Ryan, Ras-I Dowling

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Safety: Adrian Wilson, Devin McCourty, Tavon Wilson, Nate Ebner, Duron Harmon (5)

Duron Harmon was selected by the Patriots as the 91st pick from the NFL 2013 Draft... From yes you guessed it Rutgers! For someone not many people had heard of Harmon seems to be good value for a third round selection and will have a chance to prove himself in 2013. Adrian Wilson has been signed from Arizona will Bill Belichick hoping he has the same effect as Rodney Harrison did. If so the Adrian Wilson signing could well inspire a Super Bowl win as they need a talented and experienced leader to be the rock of this group to help improve their woes in the secondary. Adrian Wilson's namesake Tavon doesn't have much hype around him but the second year safety has the chance to learn from Adrian and improve his game.


Devin McCourty did very well in his transition to safety and it is clear to see he is better suited to the position but now New England will hope he can build on the 2012 season by producing the goods in 2013. It wouldn't be right if I didn't go for one risky selection throughout this projection and it will be in the shape of Nate Ebner as I think he has the potential to beat out Steve Gregory but in reality that maybe is a bit of a longshot.

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

Rookie punter Ryan Allen has given Mesko a run for his money up until now but with Mesko being a very reliable punter as well as arguably one of the best in the league he will make the team. Gotskowski had a challenger brought in as well but despite a rocky 2012 he has the ability to bounce back in 2013. Danny Aiken continues his role as long snapper.

Cunningham’s ability to play on the interior allows the Patriots to go thinner at defensive tackle. Kelly and Armstead should give the pass rush a significant boost, all which could make Forston a goner.

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After seeing some of what the Patriots were running in OTAs and minicamp, it makes sense to keep Cunningham over Jake Bequette, who I had making the team before. Cunningham looks bigger this offseason, which means he could serve a very versatile role. Hughes: Jones, Ninkovich, Buchanan, Cunningham, Francis, Jake Bequette (6) It may seem there’s a bit of an overload at defensive end, but the versatility of Cunning ham and Francis to move inside makes that decision easier. Bequette was one of the final few in, just barely eking out CFL-exile Jason Vega. Ninkovich has been mentoring Bequette throughout the offseason and I think that makes the difference.

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OFFENSIVE LINE

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