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Patriots Hold Off Dolphins 27-24

immendInalped — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 03:10:36 +0000

By: SportsDirect

Tom Brady rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another as the New England Patriots overcame a 17-point halftime deficit and clinched a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs with a 27-24 home triumph over the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.Former Dolphin Wes Welker had 12 receptions for 138 yards and Deion Branch had a 1-yard touchdown catch for AFC East champion New England (12-3), which recorded its seventh straight victory and inched closer to the AFC’s top seed.The Patriots remained one game ahead of the Baltimore Ravens (11-4) and Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4), who posted victories over the Cleveland Browns and St. Louis Rams, respectively, on Saturday.After torching the Dolphins for a career-high 517 yards and four touchdowns in the season opener, Brady completed just three of his first 14 passes for 37 yards on Saturday. The reigning NFL MVP then caught fire in the second half — completing 10 straight passes at one point — and finishing 27 of 46 for 304 yards with a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs.New England nose tackle Vince Wilfork recovered Matt Moore’s fumble and the Patriots trimmed the deficit to seven (17-10) after Branch caught Brady’s 1-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone midway through the third quarter.Brady then leveled the contest nearly five minutes later by bulling in from 1 yard out.With Miami wilting, New England kept the pressure on by scoring 10 points in the fourth — capped by Brady’s second career two-touchdown rushing performance.Moore tossed touchdown passes to Brandon Marshall to Charles Clay in the first half, and his third scoring strike to Davone Bess brought the Dolphins back to within 27-24 with 1:48 remaining.Marshall, who reeled in a 19-yard scoring strike on a slant route, had seven receptions for 156 yards for Miami (5-10).Reggie Bush rushed 22 times for 113 yards to move over the 1,000-yard plateau for the first time in his career. Bush, whose previous season high was 581 yards in 2007, exited the contest with an apparent knee injury in the fourth quarter.

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New England Patriots Injury Update: Patrick Chung…

etentdync — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 02:22:47 +0000

Read More: Tom Brady (QB – NEP), Vince Wilfork (NT – NEP), New England Patriots, Denver Broncos

New England Patriots fans can rest easy with the release of Friday’s injury report. While quarterback Tom Brady and defensive lineman Vince Wilfork were both limited in practice on Friday due to personal reasons, they are not listed on the official report that came out in the afternoon.

However, defensive back Patrick Chung did not practice at all this week due to his foot injury and will miss his sixth straight game this season, as he is listed as doubtful. Tackle Sebastian Vollmer is the only other player listed as doubtful.

Thirteen other players are listed as questionable, including wide receives Deion Branch and Wes Welker, running back Danny Woodhead and linebacker Brandon Spikes. Spikes was a teammate of Tim Tebow’s while in college at Florida.

Here is the full report:

Name	Pos.	Injury	Wed.	Thu.	Fri.	Game Status
Kyle Arrington	CB	Foot	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Deion Branch	WR	Groin	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Patrick Chung	FS	Foot	DNP	DNP	DNP	Doubtful
Dan Connolly	G	Groin	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Julian Edelman	WR	Back	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Dane Fletcher	LB	Thumb	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
James Ihedigbo	DB	Shoulder	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Devin McCourty	CB	Shoulder	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Matthew Slater	WR	Shoulder	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Brandon Spikes	ILB	Knee	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Shane Vereen	RB	Hamstring	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Sebatian Vollmer	T	Back/Foot	DNP	DNP	DNP	Doubtful
Wes Welker	WR	Knee	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Ryan Wendell	C	Calf	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Danny Woodhead	RB	Abdomen	LP	LP	LP	Questionable

For more updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on this game, visit Broncos blog Mile High Report and Patriots blog Pats Pulpit. For news from around the NFL, visit SB Nation’s NFL news hub.

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New England Patriots Injury Report, Week 15: Wes…

Leanlr — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 04:22:36 +0000

Read More: James Ihedigbo (DB – NEP), Tom Brady (QB – NEP), Vince Wilfork (NT – NEP), Deion Branch (WR – NEP), Wes Welker (WR – NEP), Danny Woodhead (RB – NEP), Matthew Slater (WR – NEP), Ryan Wendell (C – NEP), Pat Chung (FS – NEP), Sebastian Vollmer (OT – NEP), Brandon Spikes (LB – NEP), Devin McCourty (CB – NEP), Dane Fletcher (LB – NEP), Shane Vereen (RB – NEP), New England Patriots, Denver Broncos

The New England Patriots have quite a few players banged up as they prepare to travel to Denver to face the Broncos on Sunday. Wide receivers Wes Welker and Deion Branch were among 12 New England players limited in Thursday’s practice due to injury.

The other players limited by injury: guard Dan Connelly, wide receiver Julian Edelman, linebacker Dane Fletcher, defensive backs James Ihedigbo and Devin McCourty, wide receiver Matthew Slater, linebacker Brandon Spikes, running back Shane Vereen, center Ryan Wendell and running back Danny Woodhead.

Quarterback Tom Brady and nose tackle Vince Wilfork also were limited, but for reasons not related to injury.

Free safety Pat Chung and offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer were unable to practice for the second consecutive day.

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Newcomers get playing time in New England…

unrergytwency — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:40:06 +0000

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England’s defensive backs are trying to prepare for a quarterback they’ve hardly seen.

The same can be said of Kansas City’s Tyler Palko getting ready for the Patriots’ secondary, which has been spread thin by recent injuries.

“Whenever you’re number is called, you just have to adapt. See your role and just be ready,” said cornerback Kyle Arrington, one of New England’s few defensive backs who hasn’t been knocked out of the lineup this season. “You always have to prepare like you’re going to be out there.”

Sterling Moore is coming off his first career start and preparing for may be his second in a row. A cornerback the Patriots picked up after he was released by Oakland, stepped in at safety as Patrick Chung was out with a foot injury.

Antwaun Molden, who was claimed off waivers in September, had to take over at corner when starter Devin McCourty injured his right his shoulder during the first half of a win over the Jets.

If Chung and McCourty are still out Monday, the Patriots will have to rely once again on some of their newest players when they host the Chiefs on Monday night.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to continue the success that we had in the secondary last week,” Moore said before practice Thursday.

The Patriots will be going up against Palko, who is making his first career start and has played in only two games this season. There isn’t a lot of video to review on Palko, who replaced former Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel.

The patched-up secondary helped keep New York’s Mark Sanchez in check as the Patriots won 37-16. Sanchez passed for 306 yards, but completed only 20 of 39 passes and was intercepted twice by linebacker Rob Ninkovich.

Backup safety Josh Barrett was placed on injured reserve last week, opening a spot on the active roster for Moore, an undrafted free agent who went through training camp with the Raiders but was a late cut.

“It was kind of hectic last week, especially earlier in the week knowing that I might have a chance to get out there. A lot more playbook study and a lot more film watching. It’s nothing that I’m not too used to,” Moore said. “I’m definitely getting a lot more comfortable with the guys that I’m back there with. I know we’ve got a lot of interchanging parts but we’re pretty comfortable with who we’ve got back there.”

The Patriots have also been using cornerback Phillip Adams the last few weeks. He has been off and on the active roster since the Patriots picked him up in September after he was released by San Francisco.

New England started another undrafted rookie at linebacker last week when Jeff Tarpinian stepped in for Brandon Spikes. Tarpinian was actually more experienced than some of his newer teammates, subbing in six games before getting the start.

Even with all the new faces, the New England defence had one of its best games of the season. It wasn’t enough to bump the Patriots from last place on the NFL total defence standings, but the Patriots played well enough to win and take control of the AFC East.

Andre Carter, another newcomer to New England, set a franchise record with 4 1-2 sacks and was named AFC defensive player of the week. The Patriots picked up the veteran as a free agent in August.

“All these guys, I’m talking offence, defence, special teams — this team — works very, very hard. When you have a guy go out and put up a performance like Andre did, you can’t be nothing but happy for him,” nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. “To be good you have to be able to make adjustments at times. We’ve handled it well so far and hopefully we can continue to get better.”

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Patriots secondary prepares for a busy day against…

BickNeepshish — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 02:04:18 +0000

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – With the lowest-rated pass defence in the NFL and one of the league’s top quarterbacks coming to town, it could be a busy Sunday for the New England Patriots’ secondary.

New England (5-2) hosts the New York Giants (5-2) on Sunday and the Patriots know to expect a lot of passes from Eli Manning.

Knowing the pass is coming hasn’t helped the Patriots defence so far.

“In this game you have to find a weakness and right now, our weakness is our pass defence,” nose tackle Vince Wilfork said Thursday. “We understand that but a one-dimensional team shouldn’t be able to beat us.”

New England is allowing 323 passing yards per game, the worst average in the league. The Patriots also rank last in total defence, allowing 424 yards.

Considering what happened last week in a loss at Pittsburgh and who New England faces this week, the Patriots’ defensive backs know they will be targeted.

“It’s not a lack of focus or anything throughout the week. I think we practise pretty hard and are a competitive group of guys. We’ve just got to execute better,” cornerback Kyle Arrington said. “We do a great job throughout the week of practice as far as our focus and our commitment goes.

“We just have to bring it with us on Sundays.”

Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger threw 50 times last week against New England, completing 36 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns in a 25-17 win.

And that was without star receiver Hines Ward, who sat out with an ankle injury and said this week that he didn’t feel he needed to push his recovery for the Patriots’ beleaguered secondary. Cornerback Devin McCourty said he hadn’t heard Ward’s comments and didn’t consider them relevant because the Patriots are done with Pittsburgh for now.

“We really don’t worry about what everybody else says. We’re just trying to get better and we’re trying to do it as soon as possible,” McCourty said. “We’re going to have that urgency at practice to get better — trying to make sure it keeps coming over on Sundays, not just for a week, not for two weeks but that we can be consistent stringing each game together.”

Now the Patriots have to try and stop Manning, who trails only Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay and New England’s own Tom Brady in NFL quarterback ratings.

Manning has completed almost 65 per cent of his passes for 2,127 yards and 13 touchdowns with just five interceptions. And with running back Ahmad Bradshaw’s status for Sunday uncertain because of a broken bone in his foot, Manning could be throwing the ball even more than usual on Sunday.

Wilfork said New England’s defensive line can help the secondary by strengthening the pass rush and shutting down the run, forcing Manning into longer and more difficult passes.

“It works hand in hand. It’s not track where you can out and throw a shot put or run a 100-yard dash and win a medal by yourself. You win together,” Wilfork said. “I don’t want none of our DBs to think that it’s their fault.”

The defensive woes have only cost the Patriots two games. New England’s offence has been strong enough to compensate, but stalled the last two contests. After scoring 30 or more points in the first five games, New England has totalled just 37 in the last two.

That isn’t likely to be enough against Manning unless the defence manages to shut him down.

“I wish there was a way we could just press a button or something,” McCourty said. “But it’s just hard work and I think time, putting the extra effort into it, watching film together — doing all that stuff I think will pay off for us.”

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Steelers will test Patriots’ defense

kvapbc — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:19:52 +0000

AP PHOTO
The Patriots will need to step up to stop QB Ben Roethlisberger and the potent Steelers offense.

FOXBORO (AP) — The New England Patriots’ defense hasn’t exactly been drawing comparisons to Pittsburgh’s esteemed Steel Curtain.

It’s been porous at times, lacking consistency and depending on Tom Brady and New England’s offense to offset the lapses. That’s a shaky gameplan, especially for Sunday when the Patriots visit the Steelers.

“You really have to take advantage of if they make a mistake, you have to create — with good execution on your side — you have to create your own opportunities,” New England coach Bill Belichick said. “They have a very experienced group of players that they’ve pretty much seen everything they’re going to see — big games, situations, schemes.”

Belichick made some big defensive changes in the offseason, beefing up the pass rush and adding Albert Haynesworth to the line in order to stuff some inside running lanes.

The adjustment has been slow-going as opponents have put up some Patriots-like offensive statistics, leaving New England ranked last in the NFL in total defense. Yet the Patriots (5-1) lead the AFC East and the defense has been slowly getting better.

Progress was evident in New England’s most recent game, when the offense struggled against Dallas and needed a touchdown with 22 seconds left in the game to rally to a 20-16 win over the Cowboys. The defense held Dallas to just six points in the second half, keeping the Patriots close enough that Brady could lead the 80-yard winning drive.

“I think

everything is moving forward. We’re in the middle of the season and things we do well, we have to continue to do well. Things we don’t do so well but can help us, we need to find a way to make those things happen for us,” nose tackle Vince Wilfork said Thursday. “We’re definitely at a situation where we’re still building. Everything’s not perfect but it’s moving along pretty good.”

They may want to move it along a little quicker. Pittsburgh’s offense is no slouch. Ben Roethlisberger is completing almost 63 percent of his passes for 1,937 yards and 12 touchdowns while leading the Steelers (5-2) to the top of the AFC North.

Haynesworth said the Patriots plan to pressure Roethlisberger, but getting near him and bringing down the 6-foot-5, 240-pound QB are two different matters entirely.

“Even if you hit him, it’s not going to mean you’re going to take him down. I mean, he’s a guy that can break a lot of tackles and get away from the rush. Even if you’re hitting him and he’s going down, he still can throw the ball,” Haynesworth said. “With him you’ve got to definitely emphasize finishing the rush and finishing the tackle because he can still get away.”

New England’s three Super Bowl titles are the most of the young century, but Pittsburgh is right behind with two. And both of the Steelers’ have come more recently than the Patriots, who have been knocked out in the first round of the playoffs the last two years after dominant regular seasons.

That prompted Belichick’s defensive changes, which will get a thorough examination Sunday against the Steelers.

New England’s improvement started to really show Oct. 9 against the rival Jets, who gained just 255 yards as the Patriots won 30-21. The Patriots hosted Dallas the following week and for the first time this season, the defense set up the offense to win it.

The Cowboys drove inside the 20 three times, but scored only one touchdown and had to settle for two field goals. The Patriots also forced a three-and-out on Dallas’ second-to-last possession, giving New England the ball back at its own 20 with 2:31 remaining — plenty of time for Brady to lead the comeback.

Two strong defensive performances in a row have New England fans hoping the improve continues and will balance the Patriots as Super Bowl contenders once again.

Pittsburgh, which lost to Green Bay in last year’s Super Bowl, will be a good indicator.

“We’ve been a little bit better the past few weeks. I think we’re just starting to get some continuity with the guys that we’re playing with,” cornerback Kyle Arrington said. “We were lawyers comfortable with one another, but just as far as continuity goes, it speaks for itself. We’ve still got little stuff to work on as far as technique and self-inflicting wounds — stuff like giving up plays that are just on us. It’s not good offense. It’s just poor technique, poor defense.

“We’re still a work in progress.”

Gotta run!.

Pats defense in for rugged test

Farweitte — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:43:15 +0000

FOXBORO (AP) — The New England Patriots’ defense hasn’t exactly been drawing comparisons to Pittsburgh’s esteemed Steel Curtain.

It’s been porous at times, lacking consistency and depending on Tom Brady and New England’s offense to offset the lapses. That’s a shaky game plan, especially for Sunday when the Patriots visit the Steelers.

Belichick made some big defensive changes in the offseason, beefing up the pass rush and adding Albert Haynesworth to the line in order to stuff some inside running lanes.

“I think

everything is moving forward. We’re in the middle of the season and things we do well, we have to continue to do well. Things we don’t do so well but can help us, we need to find a way to make those things happen for us,” nose tackle Vince Wilfork said yesterday. “We’re definitely at a situation where we’re still building. Everything’s not perfect but it’s moving along pretty good.”

Haynesworth said the Patriots plan to pressure Roethlisberger, but getting near him and bringing down the 6-foot-5, 240-pound QB are two different matters entirely.

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Patriots defense readies for tough test against…

alisemarrow — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 01:35:08 +0000

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots’ defense hasn’t exactly been drawing comparisons to Pittsburgh’s esteemed Steel Curtain.

“You really have to take advantage of if they make a mistake, you have to create – with good execution on your side – you have to create your own opportunities,” New England coach Bill Belichick said. “They have a very experienced group of players that they’ve pretty much seen everything they’re going to see – big games, situations, schemes.”

Belichick made some big defensive changes in the offseason, beefing up the pass rush and adding Albert Haynesworth to the line in order to stuff some inside running lanes.

“I think everything is moving forward. We’re in the middle of the season and things we do well, we have to continue to do well. Things we don’t do so well but can help us, we need to find a way to make those things happen for us,” nose tackle Vince Wilfork said Thursday. “We’re definitely at a situation where we’re still building. Everything’s not perfect but it’s moving along pretty good.”

Haynesworth said the Patriots plan to pressure Roethlisberger, but getting near him and bringing down the 6-foot-5, 240-pound QB are two different matters entirely.

That prompted Belichick’s defensive changes, which will get a thorough examination Sunday against the Steelers.

Two strong defensive performances in a row have New England fans hoping the improve continues and will balance the Patriots as Super Bowl contenders once again.

Pittsburgh, which lost to Green Bay in last year’s Super Bowl, will be a good indicator.

“We’ve been a little bit better the past few weeks. I think we’re just starting to get some continuity with the guys that we’re playing with,” cornerback Kyle Arrington said. “We were lawyers comfortable with one another, but just as far as continuity goes, it speaks for itself. We’ve still got little stuff to work on as far as technique and self-inflicting wounds – stuff like giving up plays that are just on us. It’s not good offense. It’s just poor technique, poor defense.

“We’re still a work in progress.”

That’s all for today.

PATRIOTS 30, JETS 21 / Well-balanced New England…

cohepofa85 — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:41:22 +0000

Jim Rogash / Getty Images

BenJarvus Green-Ellis motors for some of his 136 yards, allowing Tom Brady to fade into the background.

Foxborough, Mass. —

Tom Brady finally got plenty of help – from a running back who nobody drafted and a defense that everybody exploited.

The New England Patriots used their most complete game of the season to beat the New York Jets 30-21 on Sunday in the latest renewal of their rivalry.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for a career-high 136 yards and two touchdowns, the Patriots allowed a season-low 255 and Brady threw for 321 after starting the day with an NFL-best 388 yards passing per game.

“Obviously, our passing game has been unreal,” said Green-Ellis, signed in 2008 as a rookie free agent from Mississippi, “so we want to be an offense that can be able to do whatever we want to do, run or pass, and complement our defense.”

The Patriots (4-1) did not trail and won their 19th straight regular-season home game. The Jets (2-3) lost their third straight overall.

“I never thought we’d have a three-game losing streak like this,” quarterback Mark Sanchez said. “It’s just frustrating.”

The Patriots had allowed an average of 477.5 yards, the most in the league. They responded to hold Sanchez to 16 completions in 26 attempts for 166 yards and two touchdowns one week after he threw for only 119 yards in a 34-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

“I think every week we’ve been getting better and better and better (defensively), and today was a good day to get back on track,” defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said.

The Pats did it without linebacker Jerod Mayo, sidelined with a knee sprain.

Brady had another strong game, completing 24 of 33 passes for one touchdown and one interception as the Patriots scored at least 30 points for the 13th straight regular-season game.

“Obviously, they’re the better team right now,” said Jets head coach Rex Ryan, his usual bravado missing. “Against New England, you’ve got to get off the field. They did a great job sustaining drives. You’ve got to give them all the credit. They earned it.”

This article appeared on page B – 11 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Gotta run!.

Tom Brady, Jerod Mayo Highlight New England…

tuthClurb — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:56:39 +0000

Tom Brady and Jerod Mayo were two of five New England Patriots captains for the 2011 season, the team announced on Thursday. Logan Mankins, Vince Wilfork, Devin McCourty and Matthew Slater round out the group of team captains.

Brady, Wilfork, Mankins and Mayo all make sense, leaving McCourty and Slater as the surprise picks. McCourty came on strong in his rookie season with the team, recording seven interceptions and 60 tackles (13 assists) in 16 games.

Slater, a third-year veteran, was named the special teams captain. In three seasons in New England, Slater has returned 22 kicks for 424 (19.3 yards/return) in 43 career games.

For more New England Patriots coverage, visit our team page and blog, Pats Pulpit.

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Patriots pick up veteran offensive lineman Brian…

Saithikelv — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 23:09:09 +0000

The New England Patriots talked to Waters last week and by Monday, one week before the season opener at Miami, Waters was in the locker room preparing for his first practice.

“I had numerous phone calls. It was just about finding a situation that was best for me,” said Waters, a five-time Pro Bowl guard. “It’s a great organization, so why not? The record speaks for itself. It’s a football team that’s a contender year in and year out.”

Waters said he got the call Friday, visited New England on Saturday and reached a deal Sunday.

The Patriots could use the experience on the line, where right guard Dan Connolly has been out since injuring his ankle in the third preseason game. The Patriots also placed center Rich Ohrnberger on injured reserve.

Although he has played mostly at left guard, the Patriots are set there with Logan Mankins, who went to his third Pro Bowl last season.

“I’ve been a fan of Brian’s for quite a while now,” said Mankins, whose locker is next to Waters’ cubicle. “He’s a good player and a good guy so we’re happy to have him.”

Waters said he could move over to the right side if that’s where the Patriots need him.

He is a welcome addition to the Patriots, who need to do everything they can to protect quarterback Tom Brady by keeping the offensive line well stocked. Once the lockout ended, the Patriots re-signed free agent left tackle Matt Light, who will continue to protect Brady’ blind side.

Mankins, a holdout for seven games last season in a contract dispute, has a new six-year deal, and the Patriots drafted Colorado tackle Nate Solder in the first round. By grabbing Waters, New England adds 320 pounds of very experienced bulk to the front line.

“I’m glad he’s on this side,” nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. “I’ll tell you that.”

Waters spent 11 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs before he was released at the end of July. Waters says it was a mutual parting. Waters also is a member of the NFL Players Association’s executive committee, which kept him busy during the lockout.

He expected to play again, even as teams completed training camp and the preseason with Waters still at home.

“Being home with the family, there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s not a bad thing at all. I was enjoying that time,” he said. “This is what I do. I wanted to play this year and it just so happened that a great opportunity presented itself to me.”

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New England Patriots’ Vince Wilfork: I wouldn’t have benched Wes Welker

orieniUrgevob — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:55:33 +0000

Updated: January 17, 2011, 4:13 PM ET

BOSTON — New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork said he didn’t think the benching of receiver Wes Welker for the first offensive posession of the game had an effect on the team’s playoff loss to the Jets, but made it clear that he didn’t agree with the decision.

“I don’t think it was a big deal, the comments Wes said or the benching. People have opinions and in my opinion, I wouldn’t have done it because of what the game meant,” Wilfork said during his weekly interview on sports radio WEEI on Monday. “To each his own. I’m not questioning the head man’s judgment at all — it’s just my opinion.”

Welker was apparently benched for comments to the press last week in which he subtly poked fun at the foot-fetish flap involving Jets coach Rex Ryan and his wife.

Wilfork added that he didn’t even know Welker had been benched for the first offensive series until after the game.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, in his appearance on WEEI earlier in the day, also said that the benching wasn’t a factor in the Patriots’ loss.

“That has no bearing on the way that we played as a team,” he said. “I think that’s just, I don’t know, I don’t think it had any effect on the game. What has the most effect on the game is the way that we played.”

But Brady acknowledged that Welker’s comments were in line with his teammate’s sense of humor.

“That’s Wes’ personality,” he explained. “Wes is a very fun, positive, energetic person. With all the things that were coming out of New York, I think Wes just thought it would be funny to combat it in his own way.”

“I don’t think that’s any reason why we lost the game,” he said.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Patriots Journal: Wright placed on IR

royardenani — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:00:43 +0000

07:03 PM EST on Friday, January 7, 2011

Journal Staff and Wire Reports

FOXBORO â€” The New England Patriots have placed defensive lineman Mike Wright on injured reserve after he missed the last six games of the regular season with a concussion.

Wright registered a career-high 5.5 sacks in 10 games this season. The six-year veteran signed as a rookie free agent with New England in 2005.

He is the second defensive lineman to go on IR since the Patriots finished the regular season with a 14-2 record and the top seed in the AFC playoffs. Second-year player Ron Brace was placed on the list earlier this week with an elbow injury.

The team also suspended rookie Brandon Deaderick for undisclosed reasons, compounding the depth problems in the line.

The Patriots added journeyman defensive lineman Atiyyah Ellison to the roster on Tuesday.

Deaderick suspension lifted

Brandon Deaderickâ€™s suspension for violating a team policy has reportedly been lifted.

ESPNBoston.com, citing an unnamed source, reported Friday afternoon that the rookie defensive endâ€™s suspension is over.

When asked about Deaderickâ€™s suspension on Wednesday, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said: â€œWhatever is between the player and the team will stay between the player and the team.â€

Deaderick, a seventh-round draft choice out of Alabama, has dressed for 10 games this season with four starts, and has 17 tackles and two sacks. But his playing time has been reduced considerably since Nov. 25 at Detroit.

Wilfork fined

Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork was fined $10,000 by the NFL for his third-quarter hit on Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne in New Englandâ€™s season finale.

Wilfork was given a 15-yard personal foul penalty on the hit, which negated a nine-yard sack.

On Thursday, Wilfork said of the play: â€œWhen I did hit him and saw the flag, I thought about the quarterback and not knowing if it was helmet-to-helmet [and not] knowing going in if he dropped his head a little bit. In the moment you kind of figure that theyâ€™re going to try and protect players. I understand that, especially when it comes down to quarterbacks, thatâ€™s a whole other league in itself.â€

More praise for McCourty

The honors keep on coming for Patriots rookie cornerback Devin McCourty.

Not only did he make the Pro Bowl this year, but the NFL announced on Thursday that McCourty has been named one of the five finalists for the leagueâ€™s Rookie of the Year award.

McCourty started all 16 games and finished the season with 82 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, 17 passes defensed and seven interceptions. His interception total tied for second in the NFL and led all rookies.

He is up against St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford, who set a rookie record with 174 consecutive pass attempts without an interception; Tampa Bay receiver Mike Williams, who finished the year with 65 receptions for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns; Cleveland cornerback Joe Haden, who finished the season with 64 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and six interceptions; and Detroit defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who led NFL rookies and all defensive tackles with 10.0 sacks and recorded 66 tackles.

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New England Patriots DL Vince Wilfork fined $10K for hit on Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne

Paucceesy — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 21:25:33 +0000

Updated: January 7, 2011, 4:02 PM ET

New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork was fined $10,000 by the NFL for his third-quarter hit on Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne in the season finale last Sunday.

Wilfork sacked Henne on the play, but was ruled to have made helmet-to-helmet contact, for which the Patriots were penalized 15 yards.

Meanwhile, Dolphins defensive lineman Paul Soliai was also fined $10,000 for roughing the passer. His third-quarter hit on Patriots backup quarterback Brian Hoyer — on the play in which Hoyer connected with receiver Brandon Tate for a 42-yard touchdown — drew the fine.

Mike Reiss covers the Patriots for ESPN Boston. You can follow him on Twitter.

There is the quick update of the day.

Patriots’ Welker, Light added to Pro Bowl roster

Palgatadaw — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 03:48:56 +0000

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker and tackle Matt Light have been selected to the Pro Bowl.

They will replace Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson, who was to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle, and Miami tackle Jake Long, who was bothered by shoulder and knee problems for much of the season.

Welker had 86 catches for 848 yards in 16 games after returning from a serious knee injury suffered in the regular-season finale a year ago. Light, a 10-year veteran, was chosen to the AFC team for the third time.

An NFL-high eight Patriots have been chosen for the game, including quarterback Tom Brady, guard Logan Mankins, nose tackle Vince Wilfork, linebacker Jerod Mayo, rookie cornerback Devin McCourty and safety Brandon Meriweather.

That’s all for today.