Do the NFC Pretenders have a shot?
Boston Globe football writer Nick Cafardo answers your questions about the Patriots every Thursday. Click here to submit a question for next week ...
Nick, in perspective of Curtis Martin's amazing season and his #1 ranking for yardage, could you please recount the exact compensation that we received from the Jets and how all of those draft picks turned out? Which team do you think came out on top in that deal?
Joshua, Needham
A: Joshua, the Patriots received a first and third round pick for Martin. They used those picks to draft Robert Edwards from Georgia and fullback Chris Floyd from Michigan. I think Edwards was a very good pick, but because of his unfortunate injury, it turned out pretty well for the Jets.
With all of the talk about who will replace Charlie and Romeo (should he get hired), and promoting from within the system, what's the plan if Scott Pioli makes a move? Does Belichick have anyone else on Pioli's staff that he would trust and respect as much as Pioli?
Mike Shea
A: I don't think Scott is going anywhere. At least he said he wasn't. If Pioli were to go, I'm not sure there's anyone who Belichick would trust or respect as much as Pioli, but I think the next guy in line would be Nick Caserio, the director of pro personnel. The other guy would be Tom Dimitroff, the director of college scouting.
Nick, first of all, great job with the mailbag. It provides terrific insight to Pats fans all over the world. My question concerns the officiating during the playoffs. Do you think they are going to relax on the illegal contact calls for the playoffs?
Steve Fyfe, Chicago
A: The head of officials assured me they would not relax on this issue, but I think they have to, to a degree. I'm sure given what happened last season between Indy and NE, that game, should it come to pass, will be called closely.
Hi Nick, What is the key to victory? Do the Patriots coaching staff create new wrinkles/changes for the (most likely) Colts' game that Peyton Manning and Co. cannot anticipate (is this overblown as an idea) or is it just about executing the schemes they have used all year? Or is it just the being healthy?
Jim Katz
A: I don't think they can get too fancy in the secondary. If Ty Law is back 85-100 percent, he takes care of one side of the field. Otherwise they probably stick to zone coverages to protect the Troy Browns and Randall Gays and Earthwind Morelands. I'm guessing Eugene Wilson might be asked to play more corner and Moreland more safety. But in terms of fancy schemes they might have used had they had both Poole and Law, I doubt it.
Happy New Year Nick, the Dolphins will have an early first round pick to select either a RB or a QB. If they go for a RB, any idea if new Dolphins/ex-LSU head coach Nick Saban is interested in bringing Rohan Davey to Miami? If so, what do you think it would take for Bill B. and Pioli to pull the trigger -- 3d round pick maybe?
Mike Worden
A: Funny, I was kidding with Rohan about that possibility the other day. He laughed. Probably not far-fetched though I wonder how much business they're going to conduct with each other, other than the usual swapping places on draft day as the Patriots have done with Dave Wannstedt a couple of times. It seems that Saban will have enough backup QBs. His real need is a starter, and it's hard to project Rohan that way right now.
Nick: Enjoy the Bye week! 2 questions, if you answer either or both I'd be grateful:
1) Will Travis Henry be worth a 2d round pick to some team after what Corey Dillon did? NFL GMs question the value of older quality running backs, but Dillon showed he was worth at least 2d round pick. Henry has a bit of an injury history but no attitude problems.
2) Who do you think was the Pat who showed the most improvement over the year? Warren looks very solid, but I was most impressed by Wilfork. It may be chicken and egg, but as he improved, Seymour looked better.
Jon, Washington, DC
A: It's not out of realm of possibility that Buffalo gets a No. 2 for Henry. The Pats were the only team willing to do it for Dillon, but he came with a lot of baggage which is why teams were unwilling to part with that high of a pick. The Pats had three No.2s so it was a no-brainer for them. Henry is pretty good and he'd definitely solidify a team's ground game. I agree with you on Wilfork. He was more of a factor than Warren, who did indeed make strides. Wilfork's play was so good that they didn't miss Ted Washington as much as I thought they would. Wilfork can also chase the QB and he has upside.
Hey Nick - Just read your column re: Romeo Crennell. Out of curiosity--how many of the people who would take the time to read that article did you think would NOT know that Romeo is African American? Two? One? How about None? Just because you can't chat with him three times a day doesn't make him invisible.
Tom Lacey, Plainville, MA
A: To enlighten you, the Boston Globe is the regions largest newspaper. It is the newspaper of record. And many people read our sports stories. Not all of them are diehard Patriots fans like the ones we encounter in this mailbag. He is being quoted on the plight of minority coaches. Shouldn't we identify him as African American? It's pretty basic journalism. And whether or not I chat with him three times a day really has no bearing on the fact we need to provide basic information.
What players do you think might not be returning to the New England Patriots after this season?
Jaime Guzman, Lemoore Canada
A: Anyone who is a potential free agent is at risk. Adam Vinatieri has been given all indications he's back. Joe Andruzzi is a free agent, but his agent is very Patriots-friendly so I can see where that would get done as well. David Givens will be a restricted free agent and he could be an interesting case. Would a team sign him to an offer sheet that would make it tough for the Patriots to match? I'm guessing since Chris Redman has agreed to a one-year deal that Jim Miller probably won't be around next season. There are always surprises. I don't know if Ty Law would be a surprise, but if he decided he's not restructuring his contract, he would likely be a causality as well. I wonder about Poole. I wonder whether Rosey Colvin will have to take a pay cut. If they feel Ben Watson is completely healthy does that mean the end of Christian Fauria?
Hi Nick! Great column last week! Do you think any of the NFC Pretenders have a real chance to win the Super Bowl against the Pats or Steelers? What did you think of Rohan's outing against the Niners?
Bradley Fuller, Birdsboro, PA
A: Brad, I say no on the NFC Pretenders, but I've been doing this long enough (27 years) to realize it's all about who's hot, who has the momentum. I haven't been a big fan of the Philadelphia team, but I can't deny that Donovan McNabb can beat you. I can't deny that Michael Vick is almost impossible to game-plan for. I can't deny that if Culpepper and Moss are on, it's hard to stop them. I can't deny that Brett Favre could always perform his magic act one more time. My gut tells me it won't happen. As for Rohan, I've learned not to put too much emphasis on garbage time. I think he has good tools. He has a strong arm.
Don't you think what the Colts did yesterday was totally wrong for these points… 1. You're telling your opponent "hey we want to lose because we are not scared of you in the first round" 2. You give a team in your division better draft picks. 3. Where's there momentum? 4. Don't you think it takes away from the integrity of the league when you let people win whom don't deserve to, even boxing has better morals and takes away a boxers purse if they don't give it a sportsman's try. Don't you think coaches in the NFL should be under the salary cap also? The deep pocket teams won't always get the best coaches all the time and maybe the league's worst teams might not stay that way for very long, and also the coach and player will have a better understanding when contract time comes around, "hey coach why don't you reduce your cap number."
Joe Iampietro, Providence, RI
A: You make great points Joe. I'll add another one: fans are paying enormous prices to watch these games. They deserve to see their team play 100 percent every week, no matter what the situation. As for your second point, I think coaches should practice what they preach. If you're a team that basically says play for under market value, then you should coach for under market value to set an example. I think Ty Law's point this off-season was well taken that he doesn't see Bill Belichick leaving too much money on the table. Since then, Belichick's $4.2 million salary is not in the top five, which I think is a good message to send to his players.
Hi Nick, now that we have likely seen Doug Flutie's swan song in San Diego, is there any chance our old friend from BC has a chance to make it to Canton?
KN, Colorado
A: I doubt it, Kyle. He spent too many years in Canada and didn't do enough in the NFL. Don't get me wrong, one of my favorite all-time players, but not enough for Canton.
Did Cutis Martin and Shaun Alexander play in all 16 games this year? I'm asking because I just realized if Corey Dillon had played in Pittsburgh and had just a "so-so" game of say 65 yards he would have beat out both Martin and Alexander for the rushing title. I certainly think he was for this particular season the "best" back in football.
Maryellen Kiley, Winthrop, MA
A: Right. Good point. The game he missed was vs. Pittsburgh and I don't know if he would have run for 65 or not against that defense, but that probably would have been the case. I think what hurts him as "best back" is his receiving totals aren't very impressive, though Alexander only had 23 catches. Curtis is clearly the best all-around back.
With all the talk about managing the cap, there are two teams that seem to be doing it differently: Indianapolis and Washington. In Washington's case, they seem to te spending a lot of free agents all over the place and they always seem to find money. Indianapolis, on the other hand, is spending lots of money to keep their all stars in place. My question is how can they do this? In particular, how will or does Indianapolis have the money to hold the remainder of the team in place? Also, while it doesn't appear that Washington is spending their money wisely, how do they manage to find the money to do what needs to be done?
Barry Kingsbury, Hopkinton, MA
A: It's all about allocation. The Colts use about 70 percent of their cap on offense. I'm not sure about the Skins but I'm guessing it's a little more even and probably slanted on defense. I think in '01 the Patriots were slanted on defense by 60something percent. I haven't done the math lately, but it's probably more even then it's ever been. Indy has a young defense with a bunch of guys not making a lot. You can't hide the money. The cap is the same for everyone. Some teams believe you keep the stars for the fans enjoyment. Colts fans want to see manning, Harrison and James and they'll keep those guys together. Every team does it differently. Obviously, the Patriots method has worked best. Their whole philosophy is lets keep the most experienced players possible at the lowest possible price. They get players to buy into it. How? I have no idea? Brian Billick is often amazed at how many vets the Patriots have at short money.
Nick, Happy New Year to you. Thanks for the great articles on both the Pats and Sox. I hope you enjoy writing as much as I enjoy reading. Here is my question: What kind of offense do you think the Patriots need to win the playoff? This question assumes the defense will show up, which I presume it will, even with a secondary that is riddled with injuries. The secondary obviously is highly susceptible to Marvin Harrision, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokley, Plaxico Burress and Hines Ward but that is beside the point. We defy Manning and Rothelisberger to beat us in a shoot out. I am concerned about the offense. Lets assume the Steelers shut down Dillon. Lets assume the Steelers secondary shuts down the long ball. That leaves the short stuff - screens, dumps - stuff that got us to the first two Super Bowls. I saw for the first time (this year) a return to this again the Jets. Do you think this will be in the Pats arsenal as we approach the playoffs? I am not confident anyone can run or go deep against Pittsburgh. I do think they can be beat with the short game as NE has done in the past. Your opinion?
Chris, South Portland, ME
A: Chris thanks for the kind words. I love writing about both teams. In talking to Charlie Weis, he wants to hand off to Dillon and throw it down field. The short stuff might work, but my feeling is if Pittsburgh stops Dillon the Patriots are cooked because then they'll start to get after Brady with all sorts of blitzes. I don't think you'll get very far with the short passing game against Pittsburgh, because their linebackers are so quick and physical. The one hope for the Patriots is they weren't able to use Dillon in that first meeting, and now they can.
Does Ben Watson have a chance to play in the post season?
Dan Lynch, Holden, MA
A: No, he's on injured reserve.
What's up with Richard Seymour do you know the extent of the injury?
Ben Roscillo, Brooksville, FL
A: Nobody's saying. The best I've been able to piece together through team sources is that he doesn't have a major injury which would keep him out, but it will be touch and go by game time. He'll have to work out for them and prove he can move OK. He's got some sort of sprained MCL of his left knee.
With the recent victories the Patriots have had over the Colts and the poor record Manning has against them - do you think the Patriots have a big mental edge over Manning that can be exploited before and during the playoff game?
Brad marks, Budgwoi, NSW Australia
A: Yes. The pressure is all Manning's. He has to come to Gillette and prove he can beat the Patriots in a meaningful game at Gillette without the shelter of a dome. It's the biggest challenge of his career. Can he do it? I think he can if he doesn't make mistakes and if the players around him have error-free games. It's silly to say that Manning is going to be as effective against the Patriots as he is against everyone else. The Patriots have been the best team three out of the last four years. Anybody is going to struggle against the best team. But this is clearly the place he could finish off the greatest season ever by a quarterback with an amazing performance against the defending Super Bowl champions. It would be quite a legacy for him.
Nick, it may be early to took ahead to the draft, but what do you see as Patriots needs? They obviously could use some depth at defensive back; I think they still need to draft a big strong power runner in case of injury. Any comments?
Chris Hodgkins, San Jose, CA
A: Their needs are obvious. They'll need a corner (to replace Law or Poole or both), a right tackle, and they need an interior linebacker. I don't agree on the running back. They have good, young one in Cedric Cobbs. Dillon just turned 30 and should be OK for at least two more years barring injury.
Hi Nick, why do some offensive/defensive coordinators sit up in a box to watch the game? It seems that Mr. Weiss and Mr. Crennel are always shown on the field? What are the pros/cons of each method? Do they Pats have position coaches in the box? Thanks.
Joe Prendergast, Haverhill MA
A: Joe, both Romeo and Charlie prefer field level because they can speak to the players directly. They feel that one-on-one contact is more important than being able to see the entire field and see things unfold so they call their defenses and offensive plays better. They instead rely on their assistants in the booth to spot trends they can't see at field level and they're in constant communication with those guys.
Nick: I still cannot figure why Charlie Weiss took the ND job. He clearly was top candidate for NFL head coach job. And even with the Super Bowl wait would have received some offers. Was he really afraid he would not receive an offer again? Does he really think ND is so great given that other programs have better recruiting pools (So. Cal, Florida, Texas, etc.? ND is not the draw to today's kids it was when he was a kid. Does he think he needs to build a reputation in College first before NFL? What is your take on this curious move?
Steven Kepnes, Syracuse NY
A: Steven, I think you hit it: he didn't want to take the chance again. He even said it this week. Right now there are two jobs open, right? Cleveland is open and it looks like Baltimore pro personnel director Phil Savage is taking the job. He's going to pick the coach. Any guarantees he would have chosen Charlie when his experience is with the Ravens who have a strong candidate in Mike Nolan? I don't know. Maybe if Charlie were available, he'd be a top candidate though you also have Brad Childress in Philly making a strong bid. San Francisco is available. They'd be dopes if they didn't put out feelers for Pete Carroll, who would have to be their top choice. The other reason is it's Notre Dame. He loves Notre Dame. That's his school. That's his dream job. They gave him $2 million a year which is probably what he would make as a first-time NFL head coach, if that. 