Tom's Last Stand

Yesterday's New York Post sports page was filled with quotes by members of the New York Giants who felt that their team will make a big rebound in 2015. Ownership decided not to fire Coach Tom Coughlin in spite of missing the playoffs five out of the last six years.

We keep hearing that Coughlin is a future Hall of Fame coach because of his two Super Bowl wins over the Pats and the work he did with the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars. He is 22-26 since his last Lombardi Trophy.

There is all this talk about Coughlin leaving at the top of his game. He should have done this a few years ago. His legacy needs a trip to the NFC Championship game in 2015. He is not going out on top. He looks like a guy who stayed around too long.

Another Brady Deal

Tom Brady restructured his contract to give the Pats $24 million in salary cap space. They will need it to sign their potential free agents, especially Darrelle Revis, Steven Gotskowski and Devin McCourty.

The deal will also allow for the Pats to release Brady without any major cap implications. They have him under contract for three more years. He will be 40 by then if he is still around.

The clock to the finish line is ticking.

The End For Rex

Nobody was shocked to see Coach Rex Ryan and GM John Idzik get fired today by Woody Johnson, the owner of the New York Jets. Ryan had a great run there, but the last two season have not been the best. They finished 4-12 which included an eight game losing streak.

Rex was made for the Big Apple. He had a larger than life personality. He said things he couldn't back up, but brought his team to the AFC Championship game in his first two seasons. He was pure entertainment.

Will he coach or be on television next season? The choice will be his. I'm sure he has opportunities from both sides. I hope he continues to coach. He was so much fun to watch.

Johnny Keeps Doing It

I predict that Johnny Manziel will be a bust in the NFL. His rookie season has been a flop. He attracted too much media attention with his partying and other nonsense. He did nothing in his two starts and is on Injured Reserve after hurting his hamstring last week.

He mentioned that he needs to be more focused in the future. He hosted a party at his house on Friday which caused several teammates to be tardy for their walk-thru practice. He showed up late for a treatment on his leg. The team fined him.

The guy is a joke. If he doesn't change, he will find himself watching the game from his living room. I think he will last about three seasons.

The Final Game For Some

It must be a challenge for some teams to play their final game tomorrow. There are several games that have playoff implications, but a few teams are just playing for pride and a pay check.

Some players will be dressing for the final time in their NFL career. Many are not even aware of that. They will become salary cap casualties or get released in next summer's  training camp.

There will be a number of coaches fired by Monday evening. Some already know their fate. Others will be surprised.

Rex Ryan has already cleaned out his desk.

Paying Peyton

It's clear to see that Peyton Manning wants to return to the Denver Broncos in 2015 for his 18th season. Coach John Fox wants him back. The big question is whether the team can afford him for another season.

Manning will be entering the third season of his four year deal. His salary of $19 million will create a $21.5 million salary cap hit. The team needs to decide if they can devote that much of their financial resources to one position.

Manning might not be that flexible when it comes down to the money. It will become a key factor in his future.

Goals For Sunday

Many fans feel the Pats should rest players in the game against the Buffalo Bills. They need to get through it without any injuries.

Tom Brady said there is no such thing as a meaningless game. He is right. The Pats need to play better on offense. If they play like that in the playoffs, their season will come to a sudden end.

They need a strong game in all three phases.

The Game Played On

The Pro Bowl selections were announced last night. Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Darrelle Revis, Stephen Gotskowski and Matthew Slater made it. Hopefully, they won't be able to play in it because of preparation for the Super Bowl.

The game has been a joke in recent years. I don't think they should play it because of potential injuries. The rules are altered for the game.

The Pro Bowl is an honor for players. Many have it as an incentive in their contract. Selection means bonus money. They should leave it at that, but the league makes money from the television and radio rights.

The NFL never says no to money.

A Weekly Check

It's easy to see why players try to stay in the NFL until their very last moment. Many players jump from team to team for a weekly pay check. With guaranteed minimum salaries for veteran players, it's not a bad gig.

QB Rex Grossman has sat out the entire season after being released in training camp by the Cleveland Browns. The 11 year veteran was the third string QB for the Washington Redskins for the last two seasons, but never threw a pass.

The Browns offered Grossman a one week contract after injuries to Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer. He turned them down citing family holiday obligations.

There are players who will jump at the chance for one more check. As a veteran player, he would have received 1/17 of the annual salary of $910,000 or $53,529.41. Many people don't earn that in a year.

January Getting Close

The Pats beat the Jets yesterday to increase their record to 12-3. They already have a first round playoff bye and still have a chance at having all of their games at Gillette.

The goal of the team is to win the Super Bow, but they need to get to the AFC Championship game. Can they do it? It might not happen if they play like yesterday. Tom Brady was sacked four times and hurried throughout the game. They only had 231 yards of offense, with virtually no running game.

I think they can get to the AFC Championship game, but don't know what will happen after that.

Last Time With Rex

If this is the last game between the Jets and Patriots with Rex Ryan and Bill Belichick, I will always have special memories of this great rivalry. Rex and New York were made for each other. It should have lasted longer than this.

If football is meant to be entertainment, he was the best. The media loved him for his blustery quotes about his team. He was never afraid to speak his mind. He was great for NFL.

The Starting Five

Football is all over television today with five college bowl games and two NFL contests. The Idaho Potato and Camellia Bowls will go up against the NFL. Good luck to them.

The Camellia Bowl is a matchup between the Sun Belt and Middle America Conferences. The game features two mediocre teams with Bowling Green (7-5) and Southern Alabama (6-6).

A game like this gives me hope that my UMass Minutemen will make it to a bowl someday. A record of 7-5 should do it. Other MAC teams have bowl games too.

Just Another Quarterback

Many thought the Chicago Bears were crazy when they signed QB Jay Cutler to a 7 year/$126 million contract with $22.5 million guaranteed for 2014. The result so far has been a 5-9 season with Cutler leading the league with 18 interceptions.

The Bears plan to start backup Jimmy Clausen for the remaining two games. Cutler said he doesn't expect to be in Chicago next year. The team has missed the playoffs for seven of the last nine seasons. It looks like Coach Mike Trestan and his staff will also be gone.

Why would a team commit so much money to an average quarterback? Teams throughout the NFL throw money around to players who never live up to their hype. It doesn't make any sense.

Johnny Makes 21

Former Cleveland Browns QB Bernie Kosar is considered the best at his position for the Browns in the last 30 years. He has always been a fan favorite. There was a huge outcry when rookie coach Bill Belichick banished him in favor of Vinny Testaverde. Fans never forgave Belichick for his move against Kosar.

In a recent radio interview, Kosar was very critical of the team and QB Johnny Manziel. Kosar did color commentary for radio broadcasts of Browns games until this season when his contract wasn't renewed.

He mentioned that the Browns have gone through 21 starting quaterbacks since 1999. He called out the team for believing that Manziel is the answer to all of their problems.

The Browns are committed to Manziel for the rest of the season. That should give them two more losses.

Playing With His Team

Owners of NFL teams have every right to meddle into the affairs of their team. Usually, it works to the detriment. Jerry Jones should probably fire himself as the GM of the Dallas Cowboys, but that will never happen.

Dan Snyder of the Washington Redskins has been overseeing a train wreck since he bought the team in 1999. The have a record of 107-146 for that period which includes only four winning seasons and two playoff wins.

Since 2009, the Redskins are 31-62 with double digit losses in five of their last six seasons. The team has gone through eight coaches in sixteen seasons. Jay Gruden will probably get the axe at the end of this one.

The Redskins have always been one of the stalwarts of the NFL. During the 16 seasons (1983-1998)prior to Snyder's purchase, the team had eleven winning seasons, seven playoff wins and three Super Bowl appearances which included two titles.

Things are not going well in DC.

Money For Saturdays

The NFL is crushing in the TV ratings. With the college bowl season upon us, the networks scheduled double-headers on the last two Saturdays of the season. It always works out great when they have an evening game on Saturdays.

Fans want their NFL football. The league is very willing to cater to their desires. It's more money for everyone.

Two Left

Over the next two weeks, we will see the final NFL playoff schedule fall into place. So many teams are on a short leash this weekend. It will end very badly for some.

All you can ever hope as a fan is for your team
to make the playoffs.

Who knows what happens after that.

Johnny Shutout

The Cleveland Browns decided to get cute and replace QB Brian Hoyer with Johnny Manziel. Their playoff hopes were on the line.

 Manziel could not have played worse in his first start. He was 10 of 18 for 80 yards and two interceptions in the team's 30-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Many thought he would start his NFL career with a better performance. He is viewed as the future in Cleveland.

It will be interesting to see how he plays in his next game.

Just 1 of 52

The Division 1 college bowl season begins next Saturday with the first of 38 games before the culmination with the BCS Championship Game.

With so many bowls, 76 teams get a shot of playing for better or worse. Penn State (6-6) will play Boston College (7-5) in the Pinstripe Bowl.

There are 128 Division 1 programs. UMass was one of 52 teams that didn't make it to a bowl. It seems like you can get to a game with a 7-5 record.

That should be the goal for UMass. The program needs to get better.

The Revolving Door

The Heisman Trophy will be awarded tonight. I always thought it was overrated since it usually ends up going to a quarterback. It does not reflect potential success in the NFL.

QB Marcus Mariota of Oregon is the favorite to win. The junior signal caller might declare himself eligible for the NFL draft. The NY tabloids are already predicting that the Jets will go after him.

Is he a franchise quarterback? It seems like the Jets are ready to make another mistake if they select him.

Jonny Leading In Defeat

Brian Hoyer lead the Cleveland Browns to  a 7-5 start and a chance at a playoff spot, but has struggled in recent games. The team thought it would be the perfect time to bench him and give the starting job to Johnny Manziel.

Hoyer was hoping to get a long term contract, but it won't be in Cleveland thanks to the hysteria around Manziel. When he hits the open market, there will be  teams looking to hire him. Hoyer's future in Cleveland was torpedoed once the Browns drafted Manziel. He is better off going someplace else.

In spite of the hype, I predict that the Browns will lose to the Bengals on Sunday. Both teams are trying to stay alive in the playoff hunt.

Rookie Disaster

The number one overall pick in the NFL Draft is not always guaranteed success. The draft experts spent hours debating about who should be number one. They did it last year before the Houston Texans finally selected LB Jadeveon Clowney.

He came with several red flags. He had a number of injuries in college and some questioned his work ethic. His rookie season is over after being placed on IR as a results of micro-fracture surgery on his right knee.

The entire season was a disaster for him. He had sports hernia surgery last June. He suffered a concussion in August during a joint practice with the Denver Broncos. He tore his meniscus in the season opener and had arthroscopic surgery the following day. He ended up playing in only four games before his latest problem.

Clowney face nine months of rehab with no guarantee that he will be the player he was in college

Playing To Lose

The 2-11 New York Jets have a lot on the line Sunday when they meet the 2-11 Tennessee Titans. Both teams are playing for a higher spot in the draft. Neither team has incentive to win other than pride. More losses would get them a better pick.

That is a horrible way for a team to think. They still need to keep an eye on Oakland, Jacksonville and Jacksonville for the worst record in the league.

Maybe the Jets can do like the Redskins did back in 2012 when they traded several draft picks to move up and select RGIII. That worked out great for the Redskins. Maybe they can get a third round pick for him after the season is over.

Rams Got The Best of the Deal

St Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher tried a little gamesmanship the other day in their contest against the Redskins. He sent six players out for the coin toss. All of them were drafted by the Rams as a result of trading their 2nd overall pick in the 2012 draft which the Redskins used to select RGIII.

The Rams got the better of the deal. They got the 6th overall pick of the 2012 draft as well as two additional first rounders and another 2nd round selection.

They kept making trades with their picks and ended up with eight players, five of them starters. Meanwhile, the Redskins will try to move RGIII for a possible 3rd round pick.

I never believe in bankrupting a team of draft choices to get one player. It usually doesn't work

Snowy Night

It looks like a classic night in Green Bay for football. It's 33 degrees and snowing. The NFL Network was just showing live warm-ups of the Packers and Falcons.

A snowy game always makes for great viewing on television. A lot of thought goes into scheduling the teams for the games.

Four To Go

With four games left in the season, the NFL is happy to see that most teams are still in contention for a playoff spot.

In the AFC, only the Jets, Titans, Jaguars and Raiders are out of it. The NFC has the Giants, Redskins, Bucs, Vikings, Bears and Rams. At least 23 of the 32 teams are still fighting for a playoff spot.

The AFC South is a sad case with the Falcons and Saints leading it at 5-7. The winner might not even end the season at 8-8.

That's ok. Once the playoff start, all teams have the same record. Anything can happen. The 9-7 Giants proved that in 2007 when they eventually beat the undefeated Pats in the Super Bowl.

The Rain Bowls

The Massachusetts High School Super Bowls were held at Gillette Stadium today. The Kraft family have been big supporters of high school football over the years. It's a day that the players will always remember.

The weather certainly made it memorable. It was in the 30, with a light rain all day. It was cold and raw. The last contest kicked off at 8pm. It's difficult to watch a game under those conditions. It must be worse for the players on the wet field.

Soft Records

Some college football records need to take the opponents into consideration. Every Division 1 school schedules easy opponents to pad their wins. Teams are often mismatched. A recent game between Oklahoma and Kansas is a great example.

The Sooners won 44-7, but not before freshman RB Samaje Perine set a single-game NCAA rushing record with 427 yards. Perine scored on runs of 49, 33, 34, 66 and 27 yards. He broke the record of 408 yards set the previous week by Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin in a 59-17 win over Nebraska.

The record stood for 15 years before it was broken twice in a week. Former NFL great La Dainian Tomlinson held it with 406 while he was at TCU in a game against UTEP.

Coaching Relationships

NFL coaching staffs are one gigantic network with many connections. We will see that on display when the Pats play the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

Their head coach Mike McCoy was the offensive coordinator for Josh McDaniels during his head coaching tenure with the Denver Broncos.

McDaniels got his coaching start at Michigan State as a graduate assistant in 1999 and 2000 under head coach Nick Saban. McDaniels joined Belichick's staff in 2001.

Saban was a coaching rival for several years against Belichick during his tenure with the Miami Dolphins. He also served as defensive coordinator under Belichick during his time with the Cleveland Browns.

It's easy to see why coaches never want to burn bridges because you never know where your next job might be.

Playing Time

One of the Boston Globe sports writers does an excellent post-game analysis of every Pats game. He includes the number of snaps that each player was on the field for either offense or defense. He also has a running season cumulative total. The results tell a story.

In the loss to the Green Bay Packers; Bryan Stork, Tom Brady, Ryan Wendall, Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer and Dan Connolly played every offensive play. On defense, it was Rob Ninkovich, Jamie Collins, Brandon Browner, Darrelle  Revis and Devin McCourty.

Many wondered how Vince Wilfork would come back after tearing his Achilles last year. He was on the field for 61 of the 73 defensive snaps. He has played 76% of them this year. His contract had playing incentives. He stands a good chance to make them if he stays healthy.

A number of players made the roster for the special teams play. As Coach Belichick has often stated, it's a way to get more playing time.

The End For Tom

The New York Giants have a seven game losing streak and face a record of 3-9. The season has been a total failure. Coach Tom Coughlin has accepted all of the blame. That's mighty nice of him, but it should be shared with his team.

This will be the fifth time in the last six seasons where the Giants missed the playoffs. They were able to win the Super Bowl after the 2010 season. What should ownership do for a coach who has two Super Bowl titles?

I don't think he will be with the team next year. Many fans feel the same way because the NFL is a bottom-line business.

Better Off In Oakland

It seems like Coach Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49er's will be parting company at the end of the season. Rumors have the NY Jets and Oakland Raiders interested in trading for the coach's last year of his contract.

I think Harbaugh would be better off with the Raiders. He might create another Rex Ryan circus in New York.

It sounds like there is genuine interest from teams to make some type of trade.

Browns Fans Get Their Guy

Former Pats QB's Ryan Mallet and Brian Hoyer finally got stating jobs. It didn't work out for Mallet who tore his pectoral muscle last week and is out for the rest of the season.

Hoyer fought off a challenge in training camp from rookie and fan favorite Johnny Manziel, but now the Browns might finally have a QB controversy. Hoyer was pulled during their 23-21 loss to the Bills after throwing two early first half interceptions.

Manziel lead the Browns for an 80 yard TD drive on eights plays. Naturally, he had to flash his obnoxious money sign. Coach Mike Pettine said the starting QB for next Sunday would be announced on Wednesday.

Manziel fans are so excited that their man might finally get to play. He is such a hot dog for a rookie. He will learn very quickly that you can't do some of those things after a big play.

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Not Ready For Winston

Sports writers always think they have the solutions to a team's problems. One respected NY Post writer wants the Jets to select Florida State QB Jameis Winston in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Winston is a very gifted athlete and has been compared to Andrew Luck. He has many things going for him, including a great arm, speed and size. His off the field activities should raise a number of red flags for the Jets or any team.

The Jets don't need anyone who will be controversial or a behavior problem. I would have no problem selelcting him in a later round, but they can't gamble a first round pick on this guy.

UMass Season 4

I saw the UMass Minutemen close out their 3-9 season with a 41-21 los to Buffalo. The curtain comes down on a season that started with hope.

UMass has struggled to make the transition to Division 1 football. Their crowds are small, but their stadium improvements have met the NCAA guidelines to play in D1.

They will continue to play some home games at Gillette Stadium over the next two years. After 2015, they will be leaving the Middle America Conference with a plan of being independent. Conferences are not pounding on the door of UMass.

They are trying within their limitations to field a competitive team from a state school that has many doubters about their football plans. They are under a financial microscope by some in the media.

Woody Checks In

The dirt is starting to get out with the New York Jets. Coach Rex Ryan allegedly felt that GM John Idzik wanted to fire him and select his own coach. Naturally, all of the sources are unnamed, but it's making sense.

The Jets have a new billboard by MetLife Stadium. It calls out owner Woody Johnson to either fire Idzik or sell the team.

So far, all of the Jets woes are being placed on Ryan and Idzik. Johnson is now being dragged into it. There will be a big house cleaning at the end of the season. I don't know how Ryan and Idzik can go on like this.

As the fans are saying; "Rebuilding Since 1969".

Another Snyder Team

Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder certainly knows how to make a lot of money, but he should stay away from making football decisions. The team has suffered losing records under his ownership and gone through a series of coaches and general managers. This year isn't any different.

Robert Griffin III was anointed the franchise quarterback and considered a future member of the Hall of Fame, but his career has imploded after injuries and confrontations with former head coach Mike Shanahan and Jay Gruden, his current one.

Gruden has publicly criticized his QB and isn't afraid to get into a war of words. It's obvious that he isn't making all of the decisions on the quarterback job. His man, Colt McCoy, gave them a two game winning streak, but that evaporated after the return of RG III.

Snyder will probably fire Gruden if he keeps Griffin. The town isn't big enough for both of them

Five To Go

All of a sudden, the Pats are being anointed by their fans to make it to the Super Bowl. That is so wrong.

There are five games left in the season. A lot can happen between now and then. Injuries can destroy playoff hopes very quickly.

I think everyone worries about Gronk getting hurt. That would change things so quickly. The same goes for Edelman, Brady and so many others.

One Word Says It All

The NFL likes to control many situations, including players access to the media. They are required to be available for questioning. Seattle Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch was fined $100,000 for not meeting his obligation.

After yesterday's game, he met with reporters and gave one word answers to questions. Some of the responses didn't make any sense, but he fulfilled his requirement.

He will get criticized no matter what he does.

Need Seven More Years

Every win by the Pats moves Coach Belichick higher up in the record books. Their next win will give Belichick 14 consecutive winning seasons and tie him with Curly Lambeau of the Green Bay Packers.

The legendary Tom Landry had 20 years with the Dallas Cowboys. That is such an amazing record. Will Belichick coach another seven seasons to break it? That seems so far away.

Last Time Late

Pats RB Jonas Gray had the game of his life last Sunday against the Colts when he rushed for 199 yards and 4 TD's. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week and got himself on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

The team's "All Access" show had a very revealing interview with him. Everything was going great until he overslept on Friday and was late for practice. Coach Belichick sent him home.

It will be interesting to see what type of punishment he gets. I have no doubt that he might be inactive for the game, especially since the team signed LaGarrette Blount the other day.

Coach Belichick will be sending Gray a very strong message. It will probably be the last time he ever shows up late.

The Raiders Return

Every NFL team must play at least one Thursday night game. The NFL Network must have wondered how they could get the Oakland Raiders into a game worth watching.

They paired them up with their Western Division rival Kansas City Chiefs. The Raiders had a 16 game losing streak and were 0-10 on the season. The Chiefs needed a win to keep pace with the Denver Broncos.

Strange things happen in the NFL. The Raiders won 24-20 to increase their record to 1-10. The Chiefs fell to 7-4.

Maybe the Raiders can finally turn their fortunes around. They have too much history to be the way they have been in recent years. The NFL needs the Raiders to be a playoff team.

Finding A Place To Play

In light of Buffalo getting six feet of snow and forcing the movement of Sunday's game against the Jets, the NFL should think again about playing the Super Bowl in a cold weather city.

The Buffalo region is totally buried in snow. The Bills attempted to dig out their stadium, but the task was too daunting. There is also a public safety emergency, with many roads closed.

The game will be played in Detroit on Monday night at 7pm. Buffalo fans will be shut out from watching their team. The league is just trying to get the game played within the schedule. They also have a television commitment to consider.

It's always about the money.

Barber Wants To Cut

The season is rapidly imploding on Tom Coughlin and his New York Giants. Since beating the Pats in Super Bowl XLVI, his team has gone 18-24 with records of 8-8, 7-9 and 3-7. They must run the table to make the playoffs.

It doesn't look hopeful with all of their injuries and the way they are playing. This doesn't bode well for Coughlin as we are hearing calls for his termination.

Former Giants RB Tiki Barber had his own issues when he last played for Coughlin in the 2006 season.  He said that Coughlin has lost the team. That may or may not be true, but once you have people calling for your job, the future doesn't look good. The New York tabloids are picking up the story.

Jonas

Jonas Gray had the game of his life with his 4 TD's and 199 rushing yards in the Pats win over the  Colts. He dominated the running game because of so many great blocks by other players. It was a total team effort by the Pats.

Those are the games you never forget as a fan. The team tries so hard to win.

Those Redskins

It must be tough for Washington Redskins fans to watch their beloved team slip into mediocrity under the ownership of Dan Snyder. There is no doubt that the value of team has grown during his tenure.

The Redskins are a money machine, but have a record of 105-144 during the Snyder era. It never effected the value of the team. Snyder has certainly made money on his investment. That's why he did it.

They need to play better as a franchise  They are a marque team of the league and need to do better.

Hoyer & Mallet

Tom Brady said that he would try and watch some of the game between Cleveland and Houston today. Both starting quarterbacks were his former backups.

Ryan Mallet was making his first career start in four seasons after throwing only four passes for the Pats. His trade to Houston and reunion with former Pats Offensive Coordinator Bill O'Brien was the break he needed. He sat behind Ryan Fitzpatrick before O'Brien decided to give him a start after their bye week.

Hoyer was signed by the Pats in 2009 after being undrafted. He lasted through the end of 2012 training camp before he was released. He was signed by the Steelers on November 20, 2012 after injuries to Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich. He served a s a backup for Charlie Batch for Weeks 11 & 12.

After being released, he was claimed by the Arizona Cardinals where he started the season finale against the 49er's. He ended up being released in May 2013.

He was signed to a two year contract by the Browns. He got a few starts before tearing his ACL in a Thursday night game. So far this year, he has fought off Johnny Manziel for the starting job.

Mallet lead his team to a 23-7 victory by throwing for 211 yards and 2 TD's. His first career toss was to DE JJ Watt who was doing his best Mike Vrabel imitation.

Vrabel must have been smiling because he is on the Houston coaching staff.

Expensive Word For Rex

Rex Ryan can't seem to catch a break from himself. After a great win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, Rex managed to utter an obscenity which got picked up by television. He was fined $100,000 by the NFL. This was not his first time using inappropriate language.

Rex is the cause for a lot of his own problems. It would be interesting to see how he would be as a commentator if he gets fired at the end of the season. He can't make too many mistakes like that on air.

Season of Gronk

I have a huge concern over whether Rob Gronkowski can make it to the last game of the season. He has been running wild over opponents, but taking some big hits on his knees.

He is such a hard guy to tackle. They are trying to knock his legs out from under him. They are hitting him legally, but I hope he doesn't have a season ending hit.

Gronk is such a star-crossed player. I want him for the rest of season. Hopefully, it happens. The history is bad on this.

A Spot For Adam

There will be a number of sub-plots when the Pats and Colts play on Sunday night. Adam Vinatieri will always have a special spot in Pats history. He booted last minute field goals in two of the team's Super Bowl wins.

It seem like ages ago that Vinatieri showed up in Foxborough as an undrafted player. Coach Bill Parcells had enough confidence in him to give him the kicking job. It was 1996 and Bill Belichick had a brief stop as a defensive coach.

A lot has passed over the years. Vinatieri left after the 2005 season because Coach Belichick didn't want to pay him a ton of money. Stephen Gotskowski filled his spot with ease. Vinatieri is now 42 years old and has lasted 19 seasons. He shows no signs of slowing down.

Gotskowski is 134 points behind Vinatieri as the team's all-time scorer. He needs seven to pass the great Gino Cappelletti for second place.

No matter what happens, Vinatieri deserves a spot in the Pats Hall of Fame whenever he decides to call it a career.

Wednesday Night Football

I plan to drive out to Amherst today for a football game against Ball State. It will be a nationally televised one starting at 8pm. Both schools will be getting a bundle of money from ESPN for playing at an odd time.

The campus should be hopping. It will be a first for UMass. Hopefully, it won't be the last time a game is played at night. Other schools do it without problems.

Get Into The Pool

Fans of the Jets and Giants could start a pool for when their coaches will be fired. Tom Coughlin and Rex Ryan are on the hot seat for having records of 18-23 and 16-26 respectively since the start of the 2012 season.

The Jets are 2-8 and out of the playoff picture. The Giants are one loss away from being eliminated with their 3-6 record.

New York writers continue to refer to Coughlin as a Hall of Fame coach because of his two Super Bowl wins. I disagree with their assessment, especially in light of the Giants missing the playoffs in recent years.

Ryan's career is on life support. They need to finish strongly if he has any hope of being back next year.

Roland Bailey

Roland Bailey came into the NFL as a 1999 first round selection by the Washington Redskins. He will forever be known as "Champ". His bust in Canton will give both names.

Bailey's career came to an end last week when he announced his retirement after 15 seasons, including 12 selections to the Pro Bowl. He was one of the greatest cornerbacks ever, but was released by the Denver Broncos during training camp.

He tried to catch on with several other teams, but there was always someone younger and with more potential. Bailey could have rode into the sunset after last year's Super Bowl loss to Seattle, but he wanted one more season. It didn't work out for him.

Sunday Night

It's Sunday Night Football with the Bears and Packers, the oldest rivalry in the NFL. They go back to 1921, 39 years before the Pats even existed.

They are meeting for the 190th time, with the Bears holding a slight lead over the Packers and a record of 93-90-6.

Green Bay is tough place to play in. It's a great rivalry with so much history between the two teams.

A Fine Toss

You can always count on the NFL to take the fun out of the game. Players who celebrate excessively get a fine the following week.

Julian Edelman was hit with the odd amount of $5,512 for throwing a football into the stands after an 84 yard punt return last week against the Broncos.

The league cited fan safety as the reason for the fine. They make a valid point, but players can't seem to do anything without getting punished.

Jets Crashing

The New York Jets will have their hands full Sunday when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their 1-8 season has been a disaster with GM John Idzik and Coach Rex Ryan having their jobs on the line.

The other day, a fan paid to have a plane fly over the Jets practice field with a banner saying, "Fire Idzik". It certainly got a lot of exposure through social media. The teams looks like they are spiraling out of control.

Owner Woody Johnson might have to fire them both just to keep fans happy. He probably needs a guy like John Gruden or Bill Cowher to come in and do both jobs, but would either of them really want it?

Two Backups Meet

Former Pats QB Ryan Mallet was never going to play in Foxborough unless Tom Brady went down with an injury. He sat on the bench for three years before being traded to the Houston Texans prior to the start of the season.

He continued to sit behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, but will now have his turn at the starting job against the Cleveland Browns. Mallet has waited four years for this opportunity. He will be facing former Pats QB Brian Hoyer who also sat behind Brady. Hoyer has made the most of his opportunity and fought off rookie Johnny Manziel for the starting job.

Mallet has the chance of a lifetime. He needs to have a decent game to keep playing.

Excessive Strength

Football is such a violent game. It always amazes me to see the physical punishment that players take during the game. I wonder how they can get up and return to the huddle after some of the hits. The players of today are so much bigger, stronger and faster than years past.

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a great video from their weight room. It featured LB James Harrison doing pushups with center Maurkice Pouncey sitting on his back. Harrison did five of them with an extra 308 pounds of weight on his body. I don't know how he did it so easily.

More For Nick

Big-time college football programs get extreme at times. Many of them have low graduation rates. Alumnae funnel money inappropriately to players and teams.

Alabama coach Nick Saban struggled in the NFL, but hit a gold mine in his current job. His salary of $7 million is one of the highest. The Alabama boosters recently paid off the balance of his $3.1 million home that he purchased with his wife after becoming coach in 2007.

During that time, Saban has earned over $35 million. That didn't stop the group from sweetening the pot for him. Meanwhile, he continues to send players to the NFL, wins Bowl games and has a low graduation rate.

Be Careful Celebrating

I always enjoy watching players celebrate after a big play or score. The league tries to keep it contained. Taunting is so easy with all of the emotion in the game. Sometimes, players celebrate prematurely or with bad results.

Bills WR Sammy Watkins was running for a score on a 94 yard TD reception against the Jets, but decided to celebrate early. He was caught from behind on the 10 yard line. Although, his team scored, Watkins ended up with just a 84 yard reception.

DL Lamar Houston of the Bears made a real bad mistake when he decided to celebrate his sacking of Pats QB Jimmy Garopollo in the waning moments of their 51-23 loss. His sack dance resulted in a tear in his ACL, knocking him out for the season.

Watkins could have cost his team a win, but he didn't. Houston decided to celebrate a meaningless sack after his team was trashed.

The Last Days of Rex

After yesterday's 43-23 defeat of the New York Jets by the Buffalo Bills, it only seems like a matter of time before Coach Rex Ryan is fired. The team played very uninspired football, with six turnovers. The game was never as close as the score indicated.

The New York tabloids are called for the firing of Ryan and GM John Idzak. It might be the only option for owner Woody Johnson. Fans left the debacle early and fear this could spiral into a 3-13 season.

No matter what happens, Rex will have a job next year. His best option is being a television commentator. He was made for that.

Just Another Name

We may have seen the last of Jets QB Geno Smith after he tossed three first quarter interceptions against the Bills. Coach Rex Ryan pulled him and sent in Michael Vick.

The season of the Jets is spiraling out of control. Vick might not be the answer, but Ryan had to take some type of action with Smith.

It looks like Smith will be just another name on the long list of quarterbacks since Joe Namath.

Not Keeping Up With Mr Jones

Pats fans will never really know the extent of the hip injury of Chandler Jones. Initial reports indicated that he will miss at least 4-6 weeks. Now, we are hearing that he might miss the rest of the season.

The team has signed a couple of defensive players to address this issue. I can understand the secrecy if they expect Jones to return, but it doesn't sound like he will. If that's the case, what difference does it make if the public is told of the injury.

Season Slipping Away

As teams enter Week 8, we can get a good look at those who are in danger of having their season go down the drain. The Oakland Raiders lead the pack at 0-6, but have the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars sporting 1-6 records.

Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Washington and Tennessee all have five losses. Their season is in great danger. We are almost at the halfway point and some are looking to see where they will end up in the draft order.

Vick's New Role

The season for the New York Jets is almost lost, but I thought it was a good idea that they traded for WR Percy Harvin. He seems to have a reputation of being a toxic player on a team, but has a big supporter in QB Michael Vick. They go back to the days when Harvin attended Vick's football training camp.

This might be Vick's biggest contribution to the team this season. There is still another half season to play. A lot can happen between now and the end of December.

GM John Idzak needs to have Harvin make an impact. He has faced a storm of criticism for his draft picks and free agent signings.

Release of Michael Stam

Michael Stam, the first openly gay player in the NFL, was released from the practice squad of the Dallas Cowboys. He was replaced by a linebacker. The move raised a lot of eyebrows.

What does this say about the future of Stam? Being the SEC Defensive Player of the Year usually meant being drafted in the first round. In the case of Stam, he dropped to the 7th before being selected by the St Louis Rams. He was a final cut during training camp. The Cowboys signed him to their practice squad, but it didn't work out.

Did the SEC voters get their selection wrong? Are the "experts" right about Stam not having a true position and being a "tweener"? I don't think we have seen the last of him. His personal situation has not been an easy journey

Winston Not The Best Choice

Florida State QB Jameis Winston plans to enter the 2015 NFL draft. This should get all the fanatics salivating. The second year player is coming off his Heisman Trophy win last year as a red-shirt freshman. He has also dodged criminal prosecution in several cases, including an alleged rape of a coed.

There is no doubt that he is one of the most talented players in college football. He also comes with several red flags about his character. Former NFL and MLB great Bo Jackson gave up in his effort to mentor him.

Winston is also a very talented baseball pitcher and wants to play both sports professionally. How will this effect his position in the draft?.

Anyone with his skills would be one of the top five picks in the draft. Will teams gloss over his off-field issues in spite of the controversy the NFL faces for domestic abuse cases?

Unbreakable Records

I don't think anyone will break Peyton Manning's TD record in the future. Drew Bress and Tom Brady have 374 and 372 respectively, but they are too far away. Some records will never be broken.

Who will break Brett Favre's iron man streak of 321 consecutive starts? Eli Manning has 168.

Emmitt Smith's rushing record of 18,135 yards is safe with Steven Jackson the closest active player with 10,944.

Bill Belichick with 218 wins will never surpass the 347 of Don Shula.

Jerry Rice put up 22,895 yards in receiving. Reggie Wayne has 13,985, but is 36. Calvin Johnson is 29 with 9,679. They will never break it.

Never say never, but it might take another generation of the NFL before these are close to being touched.

A Record Night

I just watched an interview of Peyton Manning by Bob Costas before Sunday Night Football. He has a chance to break Brett Favre's all-time TD record.

Manning's interview was very insightful. He is a real student of the game's history. He mentioned meeting some who previously held the record, including Sammy Baugh, Johnny Unitus and Y.A. Tittle.

If he doesn't break the record tonight, he will do it very soon. At that point, it should be out of sight for decades. There is nobody even close right now.

Steve Grogan #14 Kansas Sate

I met former Pats QB Steve Grogan at Gillette Stadium today as part of the UMass/Eastern Michigan game. Every UMass game at Gillette has a former Pats player up in the Club Seats. They sign photos and pose with fans. I've met Steve Nelson, Pete Brock, John Smith, Geno Cappaletti and others.

Grogan was the heart and soul of the team during his career which spanned from 1975-1990. He was the ultimate warrior and fought all competition for his job.

There are so many great memories I have of him. He played until he was 37 before his body gave out. He had neck vertebrae issues like Peyton Manning. At the peak of his career, he was earning $600,000.

The game was different back then for quarterbacks. He took a real beating. I wonder how many concussions he had. They didn't keep track of them back then.

Jets Almost Win

The Jets played very well in their loss to the Pats last night. They didn't have any disastrous moves by the coaching staff or players.

They had a chance to win on the last play of the game with a 58 yard field goal attempt. It was blocked and it was over, with the Pats winning 27-25.

If the Jets make progress, will it give Rex Ryan another year as head coach? They are drowning at 1-6, with the prospect of losing more games. The roster is a disaster. There are so many questions.

It was great drama last night. I hope Rex doesn't get fired.

His Final Play of the Season

We saw how quickly the season can end for a player when the Pats lost Jerod Mayo and Steven Ridley to knee injuries in the Bills game. It happens all around the league every week.

The Cleveland Browns lost Pro Bowl center Alex Mack to a broken leg. He suffered his injury during a blocking play against the Steelers. Prior to that, he played every snap of his career. He made it through 5,279 plays before getting hurt.

Rex On The Ropes

If the Jets lose tomorrow night against the Pats, will that spell the end for Coach Rex Ryan? The team is 1-5 right now and another loss would devastate their playoff hopes.

It almost seems inevitable that Rex will get fired at some point. I think he will have a head coaching job next year with the Jets or another team.

His star was bright in the Big Apple for two years, but faded fast. I always enjoyed watching him. I hope he coaches them next year.

Not Listening

I'm still not ready to listen to sports talk radio about the Pats. The dialogue doesn't make any sense. I can't believe what I'm hearing. The talk masters are stirring it up to help their ratings. I get it.

I don't expect it to be "sunshine days" for the rest of the season. Every game is unique. The team is evolving weekly.

As a fan, I don't have any major concerns about the team's future this season. Injuries can happen at any time.

Missing His Chance

Some of the "experts" feel they can predict future player productivity. I'm not sure how they do that. One local writer cited the case of Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson.

This genius said that Peterson will most likely miss the rest of the 2014 season due to his legal issues. He said that with Peterson's 10,100 career rushing yards, he has a chance to be the third all-time NFL rusher if he has four more seasons of 1,500 yards each.

That seems to be very tall order.

Peterson's goal should be to play in the NFL again. The rest will fall into place.

Game of Injuries

Although the Pats beat the Bills 37-20 today, it appears that we will continue to hear bizarre comments about the future of Tom Brady. This is getting real old, but it's the best they can come up with.

The bigger concern should be the injuries to Jerod Mayo and Steven Ridley. Both suffered knee injuries and could be done for the season. It was painful to watch their knee get destroyed. Rob Gronkowski also took a big hit, but stayed in the game.

The Pats face the Jets this Thursday with a short turnaround. It's crazy to play another game so soon.

Ready To Pounce

The drama for the Pats will continue in Buffalo tomorrow. Many "experts" are not willing to cut Tom Brady any slack after his performance last week. They are ready to pounce on him if they lose tomorrow.

Brady was listed as "questionable" on Friday's injury report with his ankle. Nobody knows what that really means. It should be a great game between a couple of 3-2 teams.

The Pats have dominated the Bills in the Belichick era, but the past doesn't matter. They just need to win tomorrow to keep the wolves from the door.

Another Shoe Dropping

How will the NFL react to the latest report of domestic violence? Former Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo claims that the league hid "hundreds" of domestic abuse cases during his three decade involvement with the league.

The story is already generating controversy in the Bears organization where team officials are saying it didn't happen.

What is the truth? I don't doubt that instances were covered up. Things were done that way. It wasn't right, but it happened.

Circus Next Week

Rex Ryan has drawn a line in the sand for himself by declaring that his job is on the line unless he reverses the decline of the Jets. They are 1-4 and face Denver with Peyton Manning on Sunday. They will have a short week before they face the Pats on Thursday Night Football on the 16th.

Two more losses could doom Ryan. The six year coach is 15-25 in his last 40 games and has a 43-42 overall record with the Jets.

Placing his future in the hands of QB Geno Smith could seal his fate. GM John Idzik hasn't done a great job in drafting the right players. Free agent RB Chris Johnson wasn't the answer.

No matter what happens against the Broncos, Rex will be have his usual bluster when his circus rolls into Foxborough next week.

Thursday Night Train Wreck

I agree with the NFL players who are speaking out about playing games on Thursday night. It brings in extra broadcast revenue that the players get a piece of.

However, the games are not in the best interest of player safety. I agree with their point. How can you play a game so soon after their weekly Sunday train wreck?

It's all about the money. Players can be replaced. That's how the owners feel.

Jets Being Jets

The New York Jets are watching their season slip away after losing their fourth consecutive game. At 1-4, they need a drastic turnaround or it will be a lost cause.

The quarterback situation is precarious. I'm not sure Michael Vic is the answer. They only signed him for one season.

Rex Ryan is painting himself into a corner with his pre-season boasting. It will be interesting to see how the Jets play the rest of the season.

Looking For The Cracks

It appears that some of the media are digging their heels into the ground regarding the alleged Belechick/Brady controversy. Last week was crazy.

Sunday's team was the one we want to see through the rest of the season. Can they do that? They still have eleven games left to play.

I can understand why talk shows have a certain agenda. They get great ratings for that. Everyone wants to talk about the Pats.

This is such a great time in the history of the team. You never want it to end.

Must Win Tonight

The Pats get to showcase themselves again on national television tonight against the Cincinnati Bengals. Much has been said since their thrashing from the Kansas City Chiefs.

They need to win tonight to silence the critics. Tom Brady must play well. Everyone has an opinion on his pending demise. People want to run him out of town. They forgot about the three championships.

If they lose, it will be another week for me of limited sports talk radio. There are too many stupid comments from callers.

The Raiders

I have always followed the Oakland Raiders and want them to do good. Their history is legendary between owner Al Davis, Coach John Madden and all of the crazy players.

They have really fallen on hard times with their 10th consecutive loss. That resulted in another head coaching change, the 8th in the last twelve years. Tony Sporano is now in charge of the train wreck.

After winning the AFC Championship game in 2002, they have the worst record of any team since. How can they be so bad year after year?

Deflecting The Draft

This has certainly turned into an interesting season with all the things going on. Tom Brady and the Pats might be melting down in front of us, but we still have all of the league and Commissioner controversies.

In spite of all that, they still managed to excite fans by announcing the NFL 2015 Draft will be held in Chicago at the end of April. That should certainly get the juices flowing for the draft fanatics.

It will also deflect some of the heat away from the stories dogging the league.

The World Outside of Foxborough

Pats fans often think they are the only team in the NFL. Their view of the football world revolves around Foxborough. They are so wrong. There are so many great rivalries throughout the league.

Tonight's TNF game is a legendary NFC North match-up between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. Both teams are 2-2 with their own issues. They very passionate fans on both sides of the field.

The league doesn't revolve around the Pats.

Can't Be So Honest On TV

ESPN probably wished that Trent Dilfer and Steve Young kept their comments about Pats owner Robert Kraft to themselves. They teed off the Krafts before the game between the Pats and Chiefs.

Some of it might be true, but ESPN executives don't always want their commentators being honest. I agree with their claim that the Pats nickel and dime players, but I feel they are committed to wining championships. They just watch every dollar to the extreme.

The Big Loss

Fans and the media are in a panic after the Pats were embarrassed by the Kansas City Chiefs on MNF 41-14. It drops their record to 2-2, but we are hearing calls for Tom Brady to be benched.

I think it's an overreaction, but the team played poorly on both sides of the ball. They need to turn it around very quickly or the season will be in danger.

Who ever thought we would hear this talk? The loss was considered to be the worse regular season one during Bill Belichick's tenure.

Will things get better? It remains to be seen.

Fate of Rex

It seems early for the annual New York Jets meltdown. They are now 1-3 after winning their opening game. They lost 24-17 yesterday to the Detroit Lions.

QB Geno Smith heard chants for Michael Vick. He cursed at a fan. The pressure is on for Smith to keep his job. Another loss could get him a seat on the bench.

Coach Rex Ryan needs to make the playoffs to keep his job. He needs the best QB running the offense.

The London Follies

The NFL needs to stop kidding their fans into believing that there will be a team in London. The Oakland Raiders hosted the Miami Dolphins there today and lost 38-14. The stadium was sold out. The league must be happy with two more games there this year.

Everyone talks about the logistics of having a team there. It's not practical from a travel point of view. It always sounds like a wonderful idea until you think about the burden of flying for the West coast teams. The London team would face a big challenge.

The league should continue to play a few games there annually. It's a great way to grow the fan base and add television revenue.

Another UMass Loss

I attended the game between UMass and Bowling Green. It was a thrilling one which went down to the last series before UMass lost 47-42. It drops them to 0-5 for the season.

The Minutemen have faced an uphill battle since deciding to join the Middle America Conference and play in Division 1A. There has been a great deal of whining by the media over a state school spending taxpayer money on football.

I thought it was a great idea to move up to 1A. It's a building process. Many people don't have the patience. Some want to see UMass fail.

The team is playing much better than their first two seasons. They don't have any wins to show for it. The defense needs to get better. They can't seem to stop any team on third down when it really matters.

Vince Wilfork - DB

There are certain plays that define one's career. Some get embellished over the years by the media and fans. We love to look at them on the highlight reels.

Vince Wilfork has many great plays. His interception in the final moments of last Sunday's 16-9 win over the Oakland Raiders was a classic one in his career. He is now on the "Leader Board" with the Pats defensive backs for interceptions.

That was such a great play. It took a complete team effort just to get to that point where Vince could make it.

Great team football as BB would say.

Woodhead Done

Former Pats RB Danny Woodhead struggled to make it to the NFL after being undrafted. His time with the Pats was very productive and put him in the position to sign a 3 year/$7.25 million free agent contract with the San Diego Chargers.

His season came to an abrupt end last Sunday when he broke his fibula on a one yard run. At first, it looked like it was just his ankle, but his leg was broken, ending his season.

He is the 8th Charger player to be placed on IR. As with most injured players, this will probably result in him renegotiating his contract and leaving some of his money on the table.

Cassell Out For The Season

QB Matt Cassell has overcome so much to have a ten year career in the NFL. He became the Vikings starter out of training camp. He was looking over his shoulder at first round pick Teddy Bridgewater.

It's all a moot point now as the Vikings placed Cassell on Injured Reserve after he broke several bones in his left foot during the team's loss to the Saints.

He was on the first year of a two year/$10 million contract with the Vikings. His future with the team is uncertain after this season.

A Big Mistake

I enjoy watching players celebrate after making a big play or scoring a TD. The NFL has been cracking down and penalizing players for certain on-field activities.

Apparently LB Steve Tullock of the Detroit Lions took it a bit too far. After sacking Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers, he tore his ACL while gyrating on the field. He will be lost for the season.

Tullock made it through 131 consecutive games without missing one. Now, he faces months of rehab to get back on the field.

Lame Line

The Pats are 2-1, but it sounds like 0-3 around here. The defense played great yesterday in the 16-9 win over the Raiders. The offense continues to struggle. The offensive line let Brady get knocked down too many times. He took a few violent hits.

Will the line get better? Fans can only hope. Otherwise, the Pats will do their normal thing and win the Eastern Division, but get eliminated early in the playoffs.

Rodney Speaks

Much has been said about Roger Goodell's press conference on Friday. He can't seem to dig himself out of his hole. I thought Rodney Harrison said it so eloquently on Sunday Night Football.

He based his comments on conversations with current players. He cited the league's ability to fine and collect money from players immediately upon infractions.

They want the Commissioner fine himself $5-10 million. He made around $45 million last year. Players resent that so much.

I agree with Rodney. Goodell needs to take some type of punishment if he wants to keep his job. He can just write a check. The owners will give him a bigger bonus to make it up.

Squandering Opportunities - 2014

The NFL has enough problems without worrying about their future players. Florida State QB Jameison Winston managed to get himself suspended for the game against Clemson for inappropriate behavior at the school's Student Union. It's just another transgression for a highly overrated player who will be a bust in the NFL.

His stock is dropping in the draft because of his character issues. There is always one team out there that will take a chance on a player like him.

The TV people must be livid over this. This is their prime-time Saturday night game. Winston keeps doing stupid things and is a shining example of how people waste their precious talent.

I hope I'm wrong because can play so well.

BB Would Have Done Better

I don't know what to think after listening to Roger Goodell's press conference and the fallout from it. I thought he did his normal routine that the owners would want.

I was shocked to hear the comments from Tedy Bruschi who is part of the EPSN/NFL broadcast team. He called on Goodell to resign. He has lost the support of many current and former players.

This situation has the potential to end Goodell's tenure. The next few days will be critical. Hopefully, nobody gets arrested before Sunday.

Not Really News

I don't think you will find too many people that condone the behavior of some NFL players off the field. The news has been lit up with several arrests involving domestic and child abuse. We are hearing some outrageous stories.

All of a sudden, everyone is shocked by what is going on. This has been happening for a long time. It also involves former players. It's finally getting some attention and rightfully so. The league needs to do a better job.

People who hate the game have something to stand on now. It's only going to get worse.

Sponsors Speak

The NFL must be concerned about the backlash from the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson incidents. The Vikings reversed a decision to reinstate Peterson after sponsors threatened to terminate their financial agreements with the team.

Rice and Peterson have already seen their endorsements dry up. No team wants to lose a source of revenue. The Vikings had no option. It might take quite a bit of time for Peterson's case to make it through the legal system.

It's only a matter of time before another player gets arrested. The NFL is being closely watched.

RG III

It was shocking to hear all the talk about the possible demise of Robert Griffin's career. The third year QB will probably be lost for the season with a dislocated ankle. This comes in wake of a torn ACL at the end of his rookie season in 2012.

RG III is being labeled as a star-crossed player who accomplished amazing things on the field when he could stay on it. Some players are like that. We have Gronk with the Pats.

Some careers never get off the ground. Others start brilliantly, but end too soon. Hopefully, this is just a bump in the road for RG III.

Ten Years For Matt

Vikings QB Matt Cassel didn't have the best game of his career against the Pats yesterday. He threw four interceptions in his team's 30-7 loss.

No matter what happens, Cassel should take pride in knowing that he has lasted ten years in the NFL. This is a small miracle, considering he never started a game at USC. He played behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.

Palmer was the overall first pick in the 2003 draft. He has played 123 games with a line of 2,930/4,682 for 33,739 yards and 213 TD's.

Leinart is out of the NFL. He was the tenth overall pick in 2006, but played in only 33 games and showed a line of 366/641 for 4,065 yards and 15 TD's.

Cassel is with his third team after the Pats drafted him in the seventh round of 2005. He got his chance to play when Tom Brady got hurt in the first game of the 2008 season and lead them to a record of 11-5. He was traded to Kansas City after the season where he landed a big contract. He lasted four years before he signed with the Vikings and has played the last two seasons.

Coach Belichick has often said that it doesn't matter what you did in college or where you got drafted. It only matters what you do with your opportunity. Cassel is a great example of perseverance and never giving up.

Brady's Unhappy Win

Tom Brady was very abrupt in his post-game press conference. He reacted as if the team lost. The Pats dominated the Vikings 30-9, but Brady was probably right in his criticism. He knows he left a lot of plays on the field. He had a hard time connecting with Gronk and Danny Amendola.

The passing game needs to get better and he knows it. The critics are starting to come out of the woodwork. It happens when you turn 37 and your team has a clone of you on the bench.

Adrian's Turn

The NFL faces another murky issue with Adrian Peterson who was arrested for hitting one of his kids. The Minnesota Vikings have deactivated him for their game tomorrow against the Pats.

Peterson said he was just doing what had been done to him when he was a kid. The story hit social media and is now under intense scrutiny by everyone.

What will the NFL do about it? They already caught fire for how they handled Ray Rice. Will they come down hard on Peterson to please the public? He wasn't the first player to do this.

They Didn't Get Caught

Prior to the revelation of the second Ray Rice video, he was due to return to the Baltimore Ravens today as he was finishing his two game suspension.

Now, things are crazy. The Ravens released him and terminated his $40 million contract. There is a growing call for Commissioner Goodell to resign in light of the controversy.

This episode of domestic violence has no place in society. However, this is nothing new. It's only out in the open because of the TMZ videos. Many current and former NFL players realize they could have been like Rice. The same holds true for others. It's a horrible problem.

Jerry & Johnny

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones should have fired his GM a long time ago, but he can't fire himself. He has been very involved with the team, often to the detriment.

They gave QB Tony Romo a $119 million contract extension, with $55 million guaranteed. It didn't matter that he has never done much in the post-season.

Now, we are hearing that he wanted to draft Johnny Manziel. Somehow, his staff was able to talk him out of it. That was probably one of his best decisions. Their two egos would never have survived in Dallas.

I don't think Manziel will become a star on the field, although he will sell a lot of shirts.

Time To Point Fingers

The Ray Rice controversy continues to grow. Commissioner Roger Goodell is the target of many critics who are demanding his resignation. He serves at the will of the owners who appear to support him up to this point.

There is plenty of blame to spread around. The Baltimore Ravens handled the situation poorly. The league's investigation was inept. Without TMZ, this entire episode might never have surfaced.

The league knows it has a domestic abuse problem. They don't know how to deal with it, especially if it involves a star.

Time For The Stupid Talk

I will avoid listening to sports talk radio after the Pats loss to Miami. There are too many stupid comments being made, especially about Tom Brady. Some people are starting to turn on him. They have no clue about team football.

The Pats need to win in Minnesota on Sunday to stop this nonsense. The same people will be the first to jump on the band wagon. That's why I never like to watch a game in a public place. People say things that show their lack of knowledge about football.

Rice Boils Over

The NFL has a public relations nightmare with the revelation of the Ray Rice knockout video tape of his wife's beating. The league claims they have never seen it. I hope they are right. Did anyone affiliated with the league on any level watch it? They said they asked police for all videos related to the investigation. Why did this surface today?

The Baltimore Ravens terminated Rice's $40 million contract and released him. The NFL suspended him indefinitely. It was the only thing they could do.

Domestic violence is wrong on all accounts. Social media serves as a way of policing behavior in this age. This case is nothing new, but surveillance cameras can capture bad behavior 24x7. The internet keeps a story alive forever.

A Clean Slate For All

The Pats begin their quest today in Miami for a possible trip to the Super Bowl in February. They have a bad history there with a 15-34 record. The teams of the 1970's and 80's fared poorly in the legendary Orange Bowl.

So much will happen over the next 17 weeks. The new season holds great promise with many surprises along the way. Injuries can derail any team.

You never know who might get hurt game to game. Some players will suffer career ending injuries. The NFL has a dark side to it. Teams and fans will be disappointed by the end of the season.

Seau Family On Offense

The family of the late Junior Seau had opted out of the NFL concussion lawsuit settlement. They will pursue a wrongful death suit against the league.

I'm glad to see them take this action and hope their case gets to trial. The league will try to buy their silence with a large amount of money. They don't want the league exposed because it will make them look bad.

The family knows they have an advantage because Seau was a future Hall of Fame candidate. The league will try to blame him for his suicide. It will get ugly. We saw that with the great Mike Webster.

The Jerry & Michael Show

It was looking bad for the NFL when Michael Sam was bypassed by all 32 teams after being cut by the St Louis Rams. The first openly gay player has been under a microscope since he came out before the draft.

A media circus has followed him since that day. The former SEC Defensive Player of the Year saw his stock drop in the draft before he was finally selected by the Rams in the 7th round. In the last ten years, the SEC award virtually guaranteed a first round selection for a player.

Sam was praised for his work ethic, but his game was picked apart by the media. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stepped forward and signed Sam to the team's practice squad. Will he regret the decision if Sam becomes a distraction?

He appears to be the first practice player to have a press conference after signing on with another team. It never happens.

Don't Cut The Captain

There was speculation that Pats OL Dan Connolly would become a salary cap casualty because of his high number. He survived training camp. If he stay on the roster for the Dolphins game on Sunday, his salary will be guaranteed for the season.

He was elected a team captain, along with Tom Brady, Matthew Slater, Jerod Mayo, Vince Wilfork and Devon McCourty. It would be awkward if the team cut him at this point, but nothing would surprise me.

Brian Waters

Former Pats OL Brian Waters decided to call it a career after 13 NFL seasons. He is a great example of how far an undrafted player can go.

He began and ended his career with the Cowboys. Waters was signed out of North Texas by Dallas where he played tight end, full back and defensive end. He was cut in training camp, but signed by the Kansas City Chiefs who switched him to the offensive line. He played 11 stellar seasons for them before joining the Pats for the 2011 season. He was able to play in the AFC Championship and Super Bowl with them.

He sat out 2012 over a contract dispute with the Pats, but finished his career last year with Dallas. His resume will show six Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections. He was one of the dominating guards of his time. He will get consideration for the Hall of Fame, not bad for a player who was forced to change his position.

Brady's Biggest Challenge

Tom Brady has lived a charmed life in the NFL and off the field. He has earned millions and has three Super Bowl rings. His ticket to the Hall of Fame has already been punched.

In comments today, he said he wants to play until he "sucks". He wants to finish his career in New England. Will it happen? Will Coach Belichick keep him on the field to the detriment of the team?

Most players retire because of declining skills or injury. Brady is prepared to go to the very end. He wants to go out on his terms. That might be the biggest challenge of his career.

Michael's Road

Michael Sam, the first openly player in the NFL was released by the St Louis Rams. He cleared waivers and is now a free agent. The Rams decided not to sign him to their Practice Squad. What happens next?

I heard a great critique of him that really nailed it. Sam is an undersized defensive end who doesn't want to switch positions and has no role on special teams. That says it all.

It sounds similar to Tim Tebow who disregards any thought of changing positions.

Julian Edeleman would not be playing in the NFL if he insisted on playing quarterback, the position he excelled at Kent State.

Time To Move On

The Pats will be making numerous personnel moves this week to tweak their roster. It didn't surprise me that they traded QB Ryan Mallet to the Houston Texans for a 6th round pick in 2016. I don't think they could have received more than that. He was due to be a free agent after this season and only has a few passing attempts to his credit.

The pressure will be on Jimmy Garoppolo to be Tom Brady's back-up. This decision will be debated on talk shows. As long as Brady stays healthy, everything will be a moot point.

Time will tell if he is the heir apparent.

The Beginning For Some

Players around the league will be nervous today about their status with their respective team. It's a process that gets repeated every year as rosters get trimmed to 53 players.

Pats QB Jimmy Garropollo admits to being naïve to all of it. He never attended a NFL game until the Pats pre-season opener against the Redskins. He didn't have a playbook in college or any of the media attention that follows each team. He doesn't know what to expect today and admitted to that.

As a second round draft pick, he will probably make the team. He will never be this naïve or young again. He will be exposed to the harsh realties of the NFL. His career is just beginning. He will see it end today for others. How long will Jimmy play in the NFL? What type of career will he have? How will it end?

Nobody knows.

The Final Wait

All of the "experts" have made their picks on who will be on the 53 man roster for the Pats. The team will also have 10 spots on the practice squad. It's fun to try and guess, but very unpredictable.

The 53 will not be set in stone, as it will be tweaked going into next weekend. The Pats will add players from the waiver wire. There will be a number of surprises no matter what happens.

Pre-season Game 4

Tonight will be the last chance for some players to make the Pats roster. It's the same all around the NFL. The recent cuts on Tuesday released a total of 480 players around the league. By Saturday, that number will total 1,134.

About 200 of them will find a spot on a team's practice squad. The rest will be hoping for a call. Some are veterans who have been in the league for a long time while others are rookies who dream about being on a roster.

"Street" players get signed throughout the season because of injuries. One player's misfortunate becomes an opportunity for others. Some will need to look at pursuing another career. Their football days will be over.

Logan Takes Off

Most fans were shocked when the team traded six-time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay for TE Jim Wright and a 4th round draft pick next year.

Some thought that Mankins did not have a great season last year, but the real issue was money. His trade will free up $13 million in cap space over the next two years and $20 million over three.

When Mankins held out two years ago, he eventually signed a contract with numbers that were prohibitive in the future. He had no inclination to restructure it. The Pats were not going forward with that type of an impact on the salary cap.

Ultimately, he became a victim of the cap.

Three In A Year

The clock is ticking very ominously on Broncos WR Wes Welker after his concussion in last Saturday night's game against the Houston Texans. It was his third in the last twelve months.

The play was very typical of Welker who has taken a beating over the course of his career. He took a tremendous hit after getting the ball in his hands. His head took the force of the blow.

How many more concussions can he take? He reminds me so much of Wayne Chrbet, the former Jets receiver who took an untold number of hits to his head in his illustrious career. It all came to an end for him with one final reception and concussion that forced him into retirement.

I hope that Welker doesn't occur the same fate, but he is going in that direction.

The Cuts Are Coming

All teams need to reduce their rosters to 75 players by 4pm tomorrow. Coach Belichick has already started the process by releasing veterans Tommy Kelly, Will Smith and James Anderson. Their release doesn't necessarily mean the end with the Pats.

Belichick often does this to veterans to allow them the opportunity to catch on with another team before the market gets flooded with players. The roster will get tweaked almost daily between now and the first regular season game. If they don't get signed by another team, they will be available during the season if the need arises.

Kelly was coming back from a torn ACL suffered during last season. He played well for the Pats until he got hurt. He restructured his contract in the off-season, but his age may have been a factor.

Anderson and Smith were expected to fill holes on the defense, but apparently fell behind on the depth chart. Ultimately, the end will come for many of the players cut around the league.

Johnny Boring

Johnny Manziel continues his boorish behavior during the pre-season. He was fined $12,000 last week for "giving the finger" to the Washington Redskins bench during their game. He said that players and fans were taunting him.

Last night, after throwing his first NFL TD pass against the St Louis Rams, he proceeded with his "money gesture". This will probably draw a fine also.

This stuff might go over well in college, but he will be on a short leash in the NFL. I don't understand why there is such an infatuation with him. I think he is so overrated.

Iron Mike Jumps In

There are two weeks to go before the start of the regular season and the Washington Redskin controversy is going strong. Two of the league's top television announcers, Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms have said they will not use the term Redskin during their broadcasts this season.

This could create some awkward moments for the fans. Mike Ditka weighed in on the controversy and called it nothing but a political correctness issue. His comments will probably draw some type of suspension or slap on the write from his employer ESPN.

The controversy will continue to grow during the season. So many are jumping on the bandwagon. This is getting out of hand. I don't believe the name is offensive. I understand their point, but it's becoming an issue of political correctness.

Pre-season game 3

It's the third pre-season game for the Pats as by play the Caroline Panthers at Gillette Stadium. There are so many players that are fighting for an opportunity to get time and show what they can do.

The first roster cut to 75 is coming up next week. Some talented players will no longer be part of the team. There will be a story behind each release.

It's always a shock for any fan when it happens, but it's the same for all teams.

More To Practice

I think that it was a great idea for the NFL to expand their practice squads to ten players and change the criteria for those on it. The league is full of success stories of players who couldn't make the team in their rookie training camp, but went on to have great careers.

As the season winds into November, teams are filled with injuries and often have issues with practicing. This allows for healthy players to be on the scout team.

The new guidelines will allow clubs to keep a player on the practice squad for up to three seasons. They will now have the options to stay on the squad for six games instead of the current three before counting it as a season.

Too many players never get a chance to play in the league. The talent pool is there, but the jobs don't exist. There will now be more opportunities.

Jumping Back To School

Former Giants RB David Wilson ended his career too soon because of a neck injury. He recently retired at the age of 23. Now, he wants to devote his time to being a track athlete.

He excelled at the triple jump in high school and college. He won the national high school title in the event and finished 6th in the NCAA Championships. His best jump of 53 feet, 1.74 inches would have placed him 11th overall in the 2012 Olympics. He wants to compete in the 2016 games.

He will return to Virginia Tech to finish his degree and work with his former track coach. He left for the NFL after his junior year.

Decisions About Decisions

Coach Mike Pettine and the Cleveland Browns seem to be milking their face time with all of the attention being focused on the Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel controversy. They need to make a decision real soon on their starting quarterback. They can't waste the last two weeks of training camp.

Offensive players need to have a system in place. Sharing the snaps isn't working. There is no fluid in their play.

The coach is loving all the attention after living under the shadow of Rex Ryan in New York.

A Game Too Long

The NFL is placing more emphasis on defensive holding and interference this season. The referees are calling more penalties than ever. When the Pats played the Eagles the other night, they combined for 21 infractions. The game lasted over 3.5 hours.

The league wants more scoring and offense, but not at the cost of longer games. The penalties and replays are making the games too long. They want them to last about three hours.

The Competition Committee will need to look at this when they meet at the end of the season. The last thing the NFL wants is to lose people from the television audience.

FB James Develin

Every player has their own story on how they made it to the NFL. The road for FB James Develin has not been easy after being an undrafted defensive end out of Brown University in 2010.

He decided to switch positions when he played for the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of the Arena Football League. He followed that with a stint with the Florida Tuskers of the now defunct United Football League.

He was in training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2010-2012, but was cut each time. The Pats finally signed him to their practice squad in 2012. He made his NFL debut before the end of the season.

Things got better for him in 2013 when he appeared in all 18 regular and post-season games, including eight starts. During the win over Houston, he finally made it into the end zone.

In spite of all of this, he is fighting for a roster spot. Nobody carries a pure FB on their roster. He has also been getting snaps with the tight ends. Coach Belichick has sung his praises during press conferences. That might be his best hope for making the team.

Their Guy

I think the NFL wants Johnny Manziel to be a starter because he drives the television ratings for the NFL Network. His pre-season game last Saturday night drew 2.82 million viewers according to the ratings.

Will Brian Hoyer start the first game? It's a long journey into December. So much will happen.

If Hoyer starts, he will be on a very short leash.

Game 2

There are many questions to answer about tonight's pre-season match against the Eagles. It appears that Tom Brady will start, as well as a number of other first teamers.

Many players will be fighting for playing time to prove that they belong in the NFL. Unfortunately, players will be cut. For some, it will be the end of the line. It doesn't matter whether they are a seasoned veteran or a rookie.

The goal is to always make it through the game without any major injuries. The regular season is a train wreck for that stuff.

The Time For Vick

Michael Vick seems to have been embraced by New York Jets fans. Nobody expects him to play much this year unless QB Geno Smith falters or gets hurt. Vick has a one year contract with the team, but has a great chance to audition for free agency in 2015.

It appears that Smith is the starter, but everyone needs to be ready to play at any moment. Nobody knows if Geno Smith will play all 16 games.

Jake Ballard

The New York Giants cried foul when the Pats claimed TE Jake Ballard off waivers after the 2012 Super Bowl. Ballard tore his ACL in the win over the Pats. When the Giants tried to put him on Injured reserve, the Pats plucked him off the waiver wire. It was totally legitimate for both teams.

It was a futile attempt by the Pats to find another tight end. He spent the entire 2012 season on the PUP list before being released by the Pats at the end of the 2013 training camp. He was picked up by the Arizona Cardinals where he caught passes in eight games.

He announced his retirement the other day due to the injury he sustained in the Super Bowl. His career held so much promise for the undrafted free agent, but it never got off the ground.

Eagles Land

Bill Belichick approaches every practice as if were their last. It was so informative to be at training camp today for the joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles. There was so much to see.

Trying To Avoid Five

Former WR Irving Fryar had a chaotic career with the Pats after they made him the first overall selection in the 1984 draft. His brilliant play on the field was marred by a number of controversial actions in his personal life.

He was accidently stabbed by his wife during the 1985 Super Bowl run and was involved in a drug controversy after the game in 1986. He made a lethal receiving tandem with Stanley Morgan during his time with the team.

Few thought that he would ever play 16 years in the league with stops in Miami, Philadelphia and Washington. After he retired, he became an ordained minister with a church near his hometown.

Now, he faces up to five year in prison if he accepts a plea bargain to resolve a case involving loan fraud charges. His mother also faces time for her part.

How did it go so wrong? Things seem to be going well for him in retirement.

The Gillette Eagles

I plan to attend the joint practice on Tuesday at Gillette Stadium between the Pats and the Philadelphia Eagles. They are very interesting to watch. I've seen a couple of them in the past.

It's hard to believe that there is order and planning in all of the drills, but it's very fluid. A lot gets done in the two hours.

There is always a huge turnout of fans. You get very close to the field and see it all.

Steve Gregory

Former Pats safety Steve Gregory abruptly announced his retirement from the NFL. He cited his new perspective on life after the recent birth of his daughter. Gregory mentioned that he was happy to leave the game on his own terms and in good health. He hopes to pursue a coaching career.

He had quite a ride in the NFL after being undrafted in 2006. He was signed by the Chargers and played six seasons before the Pats got him after the 2011 season. He played in 111 regular season games, but will always be remembered for his role in the Mark Sanchez "butt fumble" play against the Jets during the 2012 season. He picked up the ball and scored a TD.

The Pats released him back in February. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs and was expected to battle for a starting spot.

Your New Back-up

After one pre-season game, we can speculate about the back-up quarterback situation with the Pats. There is discussion after last night's loss to the Redskins.

Ryan Mallett and Jimmy Garropollo had mostly 2nd and 3rd stringers in front of them. If the team was trying to showcase Mallet, it didn't work last night. I don't think he has much trade value other than a late round pick. His future is not in Foxborough.

Garropollo looked good when he was in there. I think he will win the back-up job.

Pre-season Game 1

It's the start of the 2014 season as the Pats face the Redskins after three days of joint practices. There are so many things to watch for tonight.

Hopefully, nobody gets hurt. Gronk never made the trip. The starters won't play that much. Ryan Mallet will start and play most of the game.

We hear all the rumors of trading Mallet. What is his value to another team? Will the Pats take a 4th round pick in next year's draft?

It Was An Issue Once

Several teams around the NFL have ongoing competition for the starting quarterback job. Some teams have gone without a franchise QB for over a decade.

It's hard to believe that was the way of life in Foxboro before the Kraft era. The list the various starters is rather long.

Bill Parcells drafted Drew Bledsoe in 1993 to be the starter. Everything was going great until the infamous hit in 2001 by Moe Lewis against the New York Jets. The Brady era started and continues. The only controversy is determining the backup.

The Brady era will end eventually. I'm not sure what happens after that.

18 Last Year

There are two goals for every team as the preseason games begin: get a good look at players under competitive conditions and don't lose anyone to injury. Last year, 18 players suffered season ending injuries during the meaningless games.

The preseason is a necessary evil. Coach Belichick believes in them as a way of player assessment. It is often the only chance a player has to show that he belongs in the NFL.

No matter what happens, there will be players injured and lost for the season. It's part of the game.

The Roster

All teams face the problem of players getting hurt during the preseason. The Pats are no different. It's a small miracle if a team gets to opening day without losing someone to Injured Reserve.

We always see stories of marginal players being placed on IR. Some negotiate settlements with their team and remain as free agents.

There are about 1,800 players who are looking for a chance with a team. It might never happen for many of them. They all have their own story.

Jermaine Cunningham

The future looked so bright for LB Jermaine Cunningham when the Pats drafted him 53rd overall in 2010. He had a great rookie season, but it was all downhill from there. He was finally released after the first game of the 2013 season. He was able to catch on with the New York Jets. They liked him enough to sign him for this season.

It appears that he may have torn his Achilles tendon. That could end his season. It will force him into a long rehab process if he wants to return to the NFL.

Cunningham never lived up to the hype of a 2nd round pick. That doesn't surprise me. His career could be over. He is so replaceable.

There is too much emphasis put on where someone is drafted.

#37 For Brady

Tom Brady turned 37 today as he prepares for his 15th NFL season. He is ancient by NFL standards. Very few players make it to this point and play at his level. Brady does it all. It's a sight to behold.

How much longer will it go on? Nobody knows. It has been such a great ride.

No Chip Shots

I like the experiment being done during the first two preseason games involving the extra point attempt. The ball will be moved from the 2 yard line back to the 15. It will result in the equivalent of a 33 yard field goal.

This is in response to the controversy over the extra point. It has almost a 100% success rate. Some want to make it more exciting for the fans, rather than it being an almost automatic point.

The league will go back to the regular format for the rest of the preseason and regular season games. The Competition Committee will evaluate it again at the end of the season. There is also a proposal to make the two point conversion attempt from the one yard line.

Both of these ideas merit further consideration. The NFL is often slow to make any changes, but they are good ideas.

4th Quarter For Buffalo

Fans of the Buffalo Bills are very concerned about the pending sale of the team. The family of the late owner Ralph Wilson expects to get over $1 billion for the team.

Initial requests for sealed bids were made. Another round will be solicited before the final decision is made.

A group of Toronto businessmen want to buy the team and move it to Canada. Donald Trump is also involved. The future of the team in Buffalo is very tenuous.

Bills fans have been loyal to their team since the founding days of the AFL. They play in one of the league's oldest stadiums and smallest television markets. Meanwhile, Los Angeles has been without a team for over twenty years. The NFL wants a presence in the nation's second largest market.

The final outcome remains to be seen.

Calling Mr Jones

If the Pats plan to keep three tight ends on the roster, they may have found their player in Justin Jones who was undrafted out of East Carolina.

He has immense size at 6'8", 275 pounds. He caught the eye of Coach Belichick who probably liked the fact that he was a great basketball player in high school.

Jones didn't put up huge numbers in college, with only 52 receptions and 12 TD's over three seasons. He missed the 2011 season because of injuries and was academically ineligible for 2013.

Belichick reached out to him on draft day, but the team never selected him. They jumped at the chance to sign him as an undrafted free agent.

Looking At IR

It's sounding more like Aaron Dobson might be the first player to be put on IR by the Pats. The third year receiver had surgery on his foot back in March and a permanent screw put in.

He has been doing some jogging, but is unable to make his normal receiver cuts on the run. The medical staff has not cleared him to practice.

There is still time for him to get ready, but he is falling further behind on the depth chart. Eventually, the team will need to make a decision on his roster spot. There are players behind him waiting.

Trying Another Suit

The NFL can't seem to stay away from litigation. The latest involves a lawsuit from six former players who are suing the NFLPA and its executives over failure to disclose the possibility of head injuries.

That strikes at the very core of the league. The union is being sued by its former members over things that are obvious to the average person.

The game is very dangerous and exposes the player to devastating hits to all parts of their body. It doesn't take a genius to realize that blows to the head can cause permanent problems.

This litigation will takes years to get to trial if it ever does. Meanwhile, the details will make the league look bad.

The Return of Vince

The competition is there for about 18 roster spots on the Pats. Nothing is guaranteed, especially for Vince Wilfork who is coming off a season where he has surgery for a ruptured Archilles tendon.

Will he return to the player he once was? Will he even make the roster? Vince knows that time is working against him. There is competition for his spot. If he makes the team, it will be because he earned it. Time will tell.

Only Two Weeks

Commissioner Roger Goodell sparked controversy with his two game suspension of Ravens RB Ray Rice. Many felt that Goodell was sending the wrong message to players because Rice had assaulted his wife in a hotel in Atlantic City. The incident was captured by a security camera.

I thought he would have received a longer suspension. Rice has not publicly apologized to his wife or in court when he had the opportunity.

Critics say that the league treats using banned substances more harshly than abusing women. That certainly appears to be the case. Goodell needs to explain his rationale for the light punishment, but that won't happen.

Sidney Rice

It ended too soon for Seattle Seahawks WR Sidney Rice. After seven seasons, one Pro Bowl and a Super Bowl ring, he announced his retirement due to concussions and various other ailments. He tore his ACL last year and missed the last eight games of the regular season.

Rice is only 27 and joins a long list of players who were betrayed by their bodies before they turned 30. He leaves the game with 243 receptions for 3,592 yards and 30 TD's. His frequent injuries caused him to miss 31 games.

The former second round pick of the Vikings in 2007 never lived up to his 5 year/$41 million free agent contract that he signed with the Seahawks in 2010. He was released by the team last February because of his $7.3 million salary cap hit. They resigned him in April for $1 million, but things didn't work out.

The First Bubble

Every team around the league faces the same decisions as the Pats on their roster. Some player's fate will be determined by salary cap and contract implications.

Dan Connolly is a great example. He was rated as the 67th best guard of 81 across the league. Although he has started 58 games over the last four seasons, he will turn 32 in September and carries a $4.1 million salary cap hit.

The team drafted a couple of linemen and have free agents in camp. Connolly is already on the "bubble".

Gronk Ready To Go

I think most Pats fans were surprised to hear that TE Rob Gronkowski has been cleared to practice as training camp opens. Most thought that he would start the regular season on the PUP list after his season-ending ACL surgery last year.

This is great news for the team as Coach Belichick made the announcement. I hope it's not too premature. Gronk is so important to the offense. They need him for all 16 regular season games.

Hopefully, he doesn't have any setbacks.

Shirt On His Back

As Johnny Manziel starts his NFL career, he can claim the biggest selling game shirt. Fans have kept it in the number one position in sales on the league's website since April.

Quarterbacks dominate the NFL, including shirt sales. Russell Wilson III, Colin Kapaernick and Peyton Manning own the next three spots. Tom Brady checks in at #7.

This is all sweet music to the team owners as they love to hear the cash register ringing up sales.

Go North

Tim Tebow works out in Arizona with the hope that his phone will ring and he will get one last shot to play quarterback in the NFL. He never made it out of the Pats training camp last year.

He still wants to play his position and has no desire to go to the CFL. I think he is making a serious mistake.

The Pats only used him at quarterback. It probably wasn't the bets fit for him, but was the only option. Nobody seems to want to take a chance with him.

Why not try the CFL for one season? What is there to lose? I know he doesn't want to be labeled as a Doug Flutie, but he doesn't have many options at this point.