TOM BRADY BETTER IN 2012

 

The New England Patriots played for the Super Bowl championship in the 2011--2012 season.  QB Tom  Brady's major weapons on offense were:

* WES WELKER-- slot receiver who  led the league with 122  receptions and 1569 yards.

* ROB  GRONKOWSKI--tight end who caught 90 passes for 1327 yards but was a non-factor in the    2012 Super Bowl due to an injured ankle.

*  AARON HERNANDEZ--tight end who had 79 receptions for 910 yards. 

New England has had one of the most potent offenses in the league the last couple of years with Brady having nothing more to work with than a couple of tight ends and a slot  receiver.  They had no deep threat to spread the field--to open up the passing attack.  Defenses didn't have to worry about the long ball because--THERE WAS NO DEEP THREAT FOR BRADY TO THROW TO !!!!

This off season, New England may have filled their desperate need for wideouts that can go deep with the additions of:

*Brandon Lloyd

*Anthony  Gonzalez

*Donte  Stallworth

*Jabar  Gaffney

What is significant about these signings is that Lloyd, Stallworth and Gaffney  all have at least one year of experience in Patriot's offensive co-ordinator  Josh McDaniel's offense--there will be little if any learning curve  to overcome. 

These signings do not bode well for the rest of the league--especially for the Houston Texans who hope to make a deep play off run this year if  not make it to the Super Bowl.

Brady has been  more accurate and on top of  his game the last two years even with very limited weapons.  (Like Giselle Bundchen said after the 2012 Super Bowl--"Tom can't throw and catch the  FREAKING  ball at the same time !!!!"  Hey, Giselle stands up for her man !!!)  Can you imagine how much better  Brady and the Patriot's offense  will be this season with some wideouts who can stretch the field? 

New England's defense played well against the New York Giants in the 2012 Super Bowl--actually--good enough to win. The Patriot's defense should be as good, if not better this season. Bill Belichick shored up the defense by selecting defensive end Chandler Jones (Syracuse University) and linebacker  Donta Hightower (University  of Alabama)  in the first round of this year's draft.  The Patriots   signed veterans Steve Gregory-safety- (San Diego Chargers) and cornerback Will Allen (Miami Dolphins).   Both of these veterans should help improve a weak secondary that ranked 31st. in passing yards allowed last year.  Also, second year cornerbacks Sterling Moore and Ras-I Dowling should continue to improve with a year of experience under their belts.

Their running game should be as good if not better than last year's rushing attack with the addition of a fullback instead of the single set running back formations New England primarily used last year. The signing of 29 year old running back Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts) should help improve the depth in the  running game.  

New England's special teams play should also improve with the addition of Ohio State's  Nate Ebner, a special teams standout at the collegiate level.  The Patriot's special teams units should be among the best in the NFL.  In the NFL, a team needs every unit to function at the highest level in order to win a championship. 

I look for New England to win the AFC and the 2013 Super Bowl this year.

The Houston  Texans did  themselves no favors by not signing a big time wideout  in this year's draft.  At the very least, they should have drafted and signed Stanford tight end Coby Fleener, a tight end with brains, size, speed, and toughness--a receiver who would have been a great target for Matt Schaub in the Red Zone.