Patriots 2009 preseason schedule

What criteria goes into deciding who the Pats play in the preseason?

Nate: It's usually vicinity (less travel) and avoiding division rivals.

and why do we play the giants every final preseason game?

Good Question Nate.

And, why do we play the Giants for as long as I can remember every pre-season ? Is it because they are out of conference and a short travel ?

And why the Giants again ... is this the third year in a row?

Nate, seems to me that proximity of non-divisional teams is the overriding factor in pre-season games. Pretty sure this is like the third year in a row that the short trip to Philly or NY is made for one team or the other.

Mike,

Do you know when will the regular season schedule will come out?

WHO CARES? It is exhibition football. The games are meaningless. This will be the last 4 game exhibition season.

Hey WBZ, try to keep your teaser adds out of the way of the game this year! You are the WORST station for teaser adds getting in the way of the full screen. Whoever has been in charge of this for the past 3-5 years should be fired!

WHO CARES? It is exhibition football. - Bill P from Rutherford
I know it's exhibition football, but it is the first chance that most fans get to see the team's draft picks and free agent signings against other NFL players. Also, September is too long to wait for regular season games to start : )

Please WBZ - NO RANDY CROSS!!!!!

Bill P from Rutherford - you obviously DO care, otherwise you wouldn't have clicked on the article to read it. Someone that didn't care wouldn't have bothered to look at the preseason schedule. Although, given that you're from Rutherford...should I assume you're a closet Giants fan?

Besides, it's football on television! What red-blooded American male isn't excited for football!!!

I remember hearing that the teams can make contracts with each other to play in the preseason.....so the owners can decide who/where they play the preseason.

Mike:

Why the switch from Channel 5, the station that had been broadcasting the games for the last few years?

I'm going to miss Lynchie. He seeemed to really appreciate (and enjoy) the opportunity to work the preseason games. And I'm assuming this means his weekly Patriots All Access show is gone as well.

Oh, well. Tradition has been trumped by greed. I guess.

will there be cheerleaders?

Channel 5 was horrendous at broadcasting the pre-season games. Cross is Dale Arnold bad broadcasting games and the other guy Don Crique or however the hell you spell his name ( sweet justice if its wrong) couldnt get anybodys name right in any pre-season game, he constantly woud call players by the names of guys who had retired, left the patriots years before, or if he was close were sitting on the bench.

I am glad to see the chaneg, it can't get any worse, unless of course Dale Arnold is the the lead guy, man that would suck. Cmic Book Guy "Worst Ever" for Crique, Cross and Arnold

Can they one of these please be a day game? I'd like to take one of my young kids, and not waste a regular season ticket on them. Not that I don't love them, I'd rather not leave a meaningful game at halftime when the thrill has worn off.

As far as I know, all preseason games are played at night. Probably in part this has to do with teams not wanting to play in the full heat of an August afternoon. There's enough concern about injuries that that doesn't need to be in the mix as well.

Pre-season opponents are negotiated among the owners. Kraft signed a long-term (multi-game) deal with the Giants years ago.

Randy Cross Eats Dirt!

The teams choose who they play in the preseason. The prefer to play teams close to New England so that they lose practice days in travel.

They play the Giants because their are many loser Giant fans around here.

how much stronger are we going to be with all the new players

Before the Patriots came on the scene the Giants were the closest team to the New Engalnd/Boston market and were the team of choice for many in this area.

John....Dale Arnold is better than 80% of play-by-play announcers in any sport. Comparing him to Cross doesn't make sense since Cross is the analyst, not the play-by-play guy. He's done all 4 pro sports in this town, plus college, and even on short notice has done a great job. I'd be very happy if channel 4 hired Dale and maybe John Hannah to do preseason.

FYI - In 2008, the regular season schedule was released on April 15th. In 2007, it was released on April 13th. In 2005, it was released on April 13th. The NFL is nothing if they are not consistent. My guess for this season is either Tuesday, April 14th or Wednesday, April 15th.

Randy Cross is OK, but Don Crique should retire - listening to his play-by-play makes me think he's watching another game!!! Lynchie is OK, too, but I much prefer the WBZ folks (I MISS LOBEL!!!!!). "Patriots All-Access", is now on BZ, too - they signed an exclusivity agreement w/ the Pats, so they're the only official game in town.
As for the NY G... (nope, still can't say it!!!), it's bad enough that we play them every pre-season, but why does the game always have to be at the Meadowlands??? Not tp mention the fact that both NY teams play in NJ!!!! OK--I'm done;~}

who will be playing preseason? will brady be QB or will it be a back-up?

dose jason taylor play for the patriots

Brady is playing the entire first half. Him and Bill feel he needs the added time for missing last season.