Yardbarker: Richard Seymour

Key Fantasy Matchups for Sunday's Pats-Chargers Matchup

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:20:52 -0500

From: KFFL.com Patriots WR Randy Moss vs. Chargers CBs Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie Despite having some of the most talented corners in the league, San Diego currently ranks last in the NFL in pass defense; they allow more than 265 yards per game. Moss and quarterback Matt Cassel seem to be on the same page after their 66-yard scoring hookup against the San Francisco 49ers. Cassel looked deep to Moss on two other occasions in that game, too. Stretching the field with Moss is key to New England's offensive success, and Jammer or Cromartie will have the task of preventing Moss from having another big day. Patriots KR Ellis Hobbs vs. Chargers special teams Hobbs' mark of 34.2 yards per kickoff return is tops in the league by nearly three yards; he had been an above-average returner but seems to have kicked it up a notch this season. His returns have allowed New England to start with excellent field position, which comes in handy for Cassel and the rest of the offense. San Diego isn't the worst coverage team in the league, but it is in the bottom third in terms of yards allowed per return. The Chargers will have to work hard to limit Hobbs this week. Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Patriots run defense Tomlinson's toe is still hurting, and the league's top back is not in top form. Last Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins was the third time this season that Tomlinson averaged less than three yards per carry. In addition to LT's lost step because of the toe injury, his offensive line isn't clearing holes in the same manner it did in previous seasons. New England's run defense has been a bit softer than normal, this season but the Patriots' front, led by defensive end Richard Seymour, could be due to clamp down. Chargers WR Vincent Jackson vs. Patriots defensive backs The Chargers might be without receiver Chris Chambers (five touchdowns) because of an ankle injury, which would give Jackson (17 receptions) even more of a chance to excel. Chambers' absence would also mean potential playing time for wideout Malcom Floyd; the duo of the 6-foot-5 Jackson and the 6-foot-5 Floyd could pose problems for the Patriots in the red zone. New England's secondary suffered a blow when it lost cover corner Asante Samuel in free agency and could be vulnerable to the Chargers' explosiveness.

Key Fantasy Matchups for Sunday's Pats-Chargers Matchup

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:53:18 -0500

Redemption is a dish best served "gold"

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:21:45 -0500

Okay that title is pretty lame, but the New England Patriots have had two weeks to sit on the embarrassing loss to Miami... and the 49ers are going to pay for it. Bottom Line: Some are predicting a huge passing day for Cassel, but I think it's going to be a balanced team effort. Head to the Bottom Line and tell us what you think!

Ex-Fins Welker & Morris will lead the Pats to victory

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:03:44 -0500

We like show off our multi-tasking skills here at The Bottom Line, so each Friday, we switch things up and talk about the upcoming Patriots game... This week the Pats host the Dolphins. The Dolphins are 26th in the NFL in both points per game (12) and total yards per game (256.5)... They're o-2...

Click the link to read more...

Week 2 and what it taught me ... the NFC West is tough but can't cover anybody

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:08:43 -0500

I said after Week 1 that we'd have to wait a week to get a better read on a lot of teams. Denver is now an official contender. Regardless of whether or not you think they should've won the game, the Chargers still had opportunities to stop them and didn't. Going for two when you're down by one and the clock is running out? And then using the same play you just used because you know they can't stop it? Sounds like something a Madden player does. The Broncos took the Chargers 80 yards twice in the fourth quarter. Antoine Cason's interception and two Darren Sproles breakaways keep this from being a 45-24 game. The Chargers need to dig deep, and with LT limping and their defensive catalyst out, I don't know if they can. They'll probably be 3-5 at the halfway point, and then their underdog complex will kick in and they'll make the playoffs. I'm so sick of teams that can't win unless they're the underdog. Atlanta is who we thought they are. So are Miami, St. Louis and Detroit. Horrible teams. ATL and MIA put up valiant attempts, but the facade was over in week 2. The New York Jets are still missing key components. The offensive line isn't as good as they're billed to be, and the defense, while good at creating pressure, can't tackle. I said that they would miss Vilma more than they'd love Pace, and I stand by it. The Patriots, on the other hand, are back in the bomb shelter with the "us vs. them" mentality that they crave. Seymour is a beast, but that defense still hasn't been tested. When they play San Diego in week 6 it will then be time to jump to conclusions. Buffalo isn't going to dominate many games this year, but they have a spark to them that tells me they won't be out of many either. If they can sweep the NFC West matchups, they have two hard games vs. New England and one in Denver. Besides that, the schedule is cake. Pencil a healthy Bills team in for 11 wins. Seattle? They aren't going anywhere. By the time the WR's get healthy, Hasselbeck will be injured. Seneca Wallace suddenly is the most important player on the team, because he might start most of the season at something! Oh yeah, he's out for a month too. Cleveland looks like a team that needs to sneak up on everyone, and that won't happen this season. That defense is as bad as the Bengals when Cincy was the trendy pick, and the offense isn't as good as Carson & Co. If they make the playoffs it'll be because they're the last team standing in the injury-plagued AFC. Pittsburgh needs a healthy Big Ben to be the Super Bowl favorite this year. Is his shoulder really separated? Charlie Batch is one of the best backups around, but Fast Willie has to shoulder a lot more of the load if Ben is hurt. But they're denying the reports? These guys look poised for another Super Bowl run, and the clouds may be clearing for them like they did last year. The game against Philly can be the coming out party. Philadelphia has the best defensive backfield in the league, right? Yeah. Right. Donovan reminded me how scary he can be, using his ESP to avoid tacklers, and then side-stepping and shrugging off the few that manage to make contact. But Philly beat itself last night. Both teams had lots of long pass plays, but you take those out and the Eagles dominated the game. but you can't fumble easy hand-offs in the fourth and expect to win. Dallas looks like the same team they were last year, just with a better return game. They can't stop the pass, but since they seem content to try and outscore the opponents every game, this might not pose too much of a problem. But several of the worst kept secrets in the NFL reside in the Cowboys secondary. Roy Williams can't cover, there's still a gaping hole opposite Terence Newman, and Ken Hamlin bites too easily on pump fakes. They'll paper over the problem until the playoffs, and then act really surprised when they can't cover anyone and lose the first game they play. The Giants aren't hungry. Don't know if they'll acquire hunger at some point this season, but at this point they seem too content to make a serious title run. Don't forget, no one thought you were the best team in the league last year! No one besides my uncle, that is. This might be the worst Colts team we've seen in years. I don't expect Peyton to last the season, and neither should you. Minnesota is still at least a year away. I have hope for Jackson, but not this year. And the secondary is old, too old to be effective. I love Darren Sharper, but he peaked several years ago. Winfield made a key interception early, and wasn't heard from again. I'm not ready to declare Carolina a serious contender, because Steve Smith is never the net-gain that he ought to be. The schedule allows them to build up a good first-half record, and they should take advantage of this because the last couple of games will be tough. Road games in Green Bay and New Jersey against the Giants, and a home game against Denver. If they can pull off 5-1 in the division they'll get a bye to the divisional round for sure. Chicago needs to stay healthy. Check back with me in November. If Mike Brown's still playing, they have a chance. Regardless of what's going on with TB's quarterbacks, Gruden is still a draft or two away from a dominant defense. This isn't their year. I still need at least one more game before I rule on ... Arizona. Keep Washington below 13 points and it'll be the third week in a row the defense pulled off that feat. They still need to prove they can run out the clock, though. Oakland. Run the ball on Buffalo. Minimize mistakes. In summary, don't play like the Raiders. Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers will get his stats for a third week in a row against Dallas, but pulling out the win will be a big tell for the new-look Packers. Jacksonville. The game against Indy might be the utter collapse that will precipitate Del Rio's firing. They looked horrible for the second week in a row. I'll put up a post ranking teams later in the week, as well as a special Niners post for the faithful.

Pats Remind NFL Why They're a Dynasty, Derail the Favre/Jets Bandwagon

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:41:54 -0500

Not since week two of 2007 against the Chargers has a win felt this good.Yet again the Patrios overcame a significant loss/controversy and won a game that many had written them off for. I don't know why it's so easy for people to forget that this is the signature of this Patriots dynasty, that started

5 Keyz: Week 1 Patriots vs. Chiefs

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:24:38 -0500

After the most painful off-season in team history the Patriots are finally about to play a game that actually means something and it gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. No more Spygate, No more "Randy Moss Hurt My Finger-gate", No more "They Ran Up the Score-gate". And no more Perfect Season pressure

Offensive Line Injuries

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:31:26 -0500

In two items of somewhat-expected news, Stephen Neal was placed on PUP and Ryan O'Callaghan was placed on injured reserve. These moves were made in compliance with the 75-man roster limit. As a result, Neal will not be available for the first six weeks of the season at least, and O'Callaghan will miss the year. Stephen Neal has a fixture at right guard over the past three seasons, but he struggled with injury problems last year. The Patriots proved their ability to win without Neal. However, the circumstances are significantly different going into the season this year. The rest of the offensive line is also banged up, with Ryan O'Callaghan joining two other players already on IR, and Matt Light's health questionable. If the offensive line suffers any more injuries, the team may be forced into making a trade or starting practice-squad players. There is reason for optimism, though. Last year, Patriots fans were concerned when star DE Richard Seymour was on PUP for the first seven weeks of the season, but the team didn't miss a beat. Hopefully, Neal's injury will unfold the same way, and we'll have him back by midseason.

Patriots Training Camp- Why So Physical?

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:34:11 -0500

If the Patriots thought they were going to breeze through their 2008 creampuff schedule on their way back to the Super Bowl, they quickly discovered upon their arrival at training camp that they were sorely mistaken. Literally.No, instead of 2008 AFC East Champs hats and an AFC Championship Game placeholder, all they've gotten are beatings from each other on a daily, and sometimes twice-daily, basis.Eleven of the first 14 practices for the 2008 Pats have been in full pads, with heavy contact.There have been lots of 11-on-11 goal-line work, including Saturday, when rookie linebacker Jerod Mayo stuffed Laurence Maroney on the 1-yard line and got the win for the defense.Patriots Fan Weekly reporter Paul Perillo called it the play of camp thus far, and that makes me warm and happy inside.But why so physical?It's possible Bill Belichick might be worried his team could be overconfident heading into a schedule that sees them playing teams with a 2007 winning percentage of just .387, and only 99 total wins between the lot of them.It's hard to get excited about the 49ers and Rams.It's also possible that, with their entire record-setting offense returning, Tom Brady and Co. might think about holding back a bit. Save something for the finish. Something they didn't have last year in the final minutes of the Super Bowl.Belichick is reminding them that you cannot hold back in the NFL, and every single team they face is going to come at them with everything it's got.What do Brodie Croyle and the Kansas City Chiefs have to lose if the Pats trounce them in the opener? Nothing.Always fear a team with nothing to lose (see New York Giants).At a time when other teams are easing up a bit due to the 80-man roster limit, the Patriots have taken it to another level.The only problem is that, by practicing like this, injuries become a major factor.Wes Welker and Ellis Hobbs came off the PUP list Saturday, but starting Pro Bowl left tackle Matt Light has been MIA for nearly a week.The right side of the line was already shaky; the team needs the left side to remain intact.They've treated their veterans gently, giving multiple days off to Brady, Tedy Bruschi, and Richard Seymour. Rodney Harrison missed the first few days on the PUP.Meanwhile, everyone else is butting heads. Constantly.Should the Patriots make it out of the training camp and the preseason without a significant loss, they will hit the ground running. They will be ready for every team's "A" game. Even if it is the Cardinals.

Belichick Sex Tape Cements Patriots' Standing as Dynasty

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:01:06 -0500

Some things in life are better left unsaid, especially when they're unconfirmed. But what the hell, this is funny in a morbid sort of way. A former sportswriter who travelled with the Patriots posted his grand finale "last day as a New England Patriot" on his new blog yesterday.

Among other things, Tommy Rider writes that Tedy Bruschi is a complete jerk and woefully disliked by his teammates and far from the man the fans see. He also claims Bruschi isn't a team leader and the real team leaders are Tom Brady (mmm), Matt Light, Richard Seymour and Rodney Harrison. He goes so far to say that Harrison is the nicest guy on the team, which is kind of funny since he's one of the dirtiest players in the game.

Rider also writes that Corey Dillon is a miserable piece of feces and that Randy Moss is the best player he's ever seen - and a likable guy to boot.

And then we come to Bill Belichick, described by Rider as willing to kill his mother if it meant winning a football game. That synopsis could probably be made by any football fan who follows the game closely. What one would never conjure up is a Belichick sex tape.

I heard from someone who is close to the case that there is a sex tape of Bill Belichick banging the married woman he had an affair with. I shit you not. The husband who is suing that woman for being unfaithful to him has a tape of his wife and Belichick screwing while the two of them were still married. Belichick is a very powerful man so I imagine he's doing everything in his power to squash this from getting out but it could only be a matter of time. A part of me doesn't want to see it but another part of me can't help but be intrigued.

Wow. I can't figure out what's more stunning: that there might be a Belichick sex tape or that a former Patriots employee would be intrigued by it. If Belichick really did star in a homemade movie of sorts, you'd have to think he executed with great tactics and used every advantage he could gain to put on a winning performance.

Roger Goodell has yet to comment on the matter.

Read It And Weep, Prisco

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:49:48 -0500

I loved Prisco's top 50, but there were definite faults in it. Even though he did a great job tackling the Brady v. Manning topic, some of his picks were, how do you say, questionable. Here is my attempt at naming the top 50 players in the NFL. With 1696 players on the active roster, cutting it down to 50 is tough, but here I go. 1. Tom Brady/QB/New England Patriots (Prisco Ranking-1): Ugh. I hate this. I hate putting Brady at number one. 50 touchdown passes does qualify him for this spot though. This doesn't feel right. Do I have to put Patriots players on my list? 2. Peyton Manning/QB/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-2): Ah, this feels better. Manning in his downyear through for more than 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, got his team a first-round bye while missing his top wide receiver for most of the year. Scary to think of what he can do with the whole team in his "great" years. 3. Randy Moss/WR/New England Patriots (Prisco-4): When he's not bumping traffic cops, he's pushing off of cornerbacks and safeties to break the receiving touchdowns in a season record (although that title is complete bogus). He should do well again this year, but not 20+ touchdowns. 4. LaDanian Tomlinson/RB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-3): LDT is a Hall of Fame running back, but there are other backs in the league that are catching up to him. Tomlinson can do it all: run, catch, and even pass. He's the definition of an all-around back. 5. Bob Sanders/S/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-7): Sanders is definitely the best defender in the league. No other defensive player changes a game in the way that Sanders does. We've all seen what the Colts did on defense in 2007 as opposed to the Sanders-less 2006. 6. Jared Allen/DE/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-12): Legal matters aside, Allen has moved into the category of a healthy Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney as the game's premier pass rushers. He got 15.5 sacks in 14 games last year. It is crazy to put him out of the top 10. 7. Antonio Cromartie/CB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-NR): I have no idea how Antonio Cromartie was not ranked by Prisco. Cromartie led the league in interceptions, returned a missed field goal for a touchdown, and he recovered 2 fumbles. He was definitely the best corner in the league last year. 8. Adrian Peterson/RB/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-15): Peterson exploded onto the scene last season, running for over 1300 yards, leading the league in rushing yards per game, and taking home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. 9. DeMarcus Ware/OLB/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-9): Last season, Ware had the best season of his career. He had career-highs in sacks and tackles, and he is only going to improve. 10. Walter Jones/OT/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-16): Even though the Seahawks have no offensive weapons, the Seahawks have a top 10 offense. How is it possible? This man is the reason why. 11. Nnamdi Asomugha/CB/Oakland Raiders (Prisco-29) 12. Brian Westbrook/RB/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-20) 13. Reggie Wayne/WR/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-22) 14. Steve Hutchinson/OG/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-19) 15. Albert Haynesworth/DT/Tennessee Titans (Prisco-14) 16. Terrell Owens/WR/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-13) 17. Jeff Saturday/C/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-NR) 18. Champ Bailey/CB/Denver Broncos (Prisco-5) 19. Shawne Merriman/OLB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-11) 20. Kevin Williams/DT/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-10) 21. Dwight Freeney/DE/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-25) 22. Ed Reed/S/Baltimore Ravens (Prisco-23) 23. Jason Peters/OT/Buffalo Bills (Prisco-27) 24. Richard Seymour/DE/New England Patriots (Prisco-30) 25. Braylon Edwards/WR/Cleveland Browns (Prisco-34) 26. Devin Hester/RS/Chicago Bears (Prisco-50) 27. Andre Johnson/WR/Houston Texans (Prisco-26) 28. Chad Johnson/WR/Cincinnati Bengals (Prisco-28) 29. Asante Samuel/CB/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-37) 30. Patrick Willis/MLB/San Francisco 49ers (Prisco-43) 31. Antonio Gates/TE/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-24) 32. Osi Umenyiora/DE/New York Giants (Prisco-42) 33. Tony Romo/QB/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-NR) 34. Tony Gonzalez/TE/Kansas City Chiefs (Prisco-46) 35. Steven Jackson/RB/St. Louis Rams (Prisco-33) 36. Patrick Kerney/DE/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-NR) 37. Mario Williams/DE/Houston Texans (Prisco-6) 38. Ernie Sims/OLB/Detroit Lions (Prisco-39) 39. Larry Fitzgerald/WR/Arizona Cardinals (Prisco-31) 40. Ben Roethlisberger/QB/Pittsburgh Steelers (Prisco-17) 41. Lofa Tatupa/MLB/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-40) 42. Adrian Wilson/S/Arizona Cardinals (Prisco-NR) 43. Shawn Andrews/OG/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-38) 44. Tommie Harris/DT/Chicago Bears (Prisco-36) 45. Pat Williams/DT/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-NR) 46. Aaron Kampman/DE/Green Bay Packers (Prisco-45) 47. Drew Brees/QB/New Orleans Saints (Prisco-35) 48. Brian Urlacher/MLB/Chicago Bears (Prisco-32) 49. Larry Johnson/RB/Kansas City Chiefs (Prisco-NR) 50. Plaxico Burress/WR/New York Giants (Prisco-NR) Unranked Players On My List That Are On Prisco's List: Carson Palmer (8) Charles Woodson (18) Steve Smith (21) Vince Wilfork (41) Kellen Winslow (44) Marcus Trufant (47) Wes Welker (48) Fred Taylor (49)

Patriot Puzzle Pieces: 3rd Down D

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:26:24 -0500

When the Patriots employ their nickel defense with the "frisco", or three down-linemen, front, Rodney Harrison moves to linebacker. Expect Victor Hobson, who is better in a short zone than Bruschi, to join Rodney inside. Adalius Thomas and Mike Vrabel will rush from the edge.

Patriot Puzzle Pieces: Base Defense

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:50:30 -0500

We will project the current starters prior to the draft, and detail which positions need attention in April's draft. Base defense is up first and then we will look at third down defense, including the nickel, dime, and "Cali" packages.

Pats v Colts - Cap Style

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:07:37 -0500

As you can see the Patriots have commited just over $56 million dollars in cap room to their top 10 players. Leaving around $63 million in adjusted cap room to fill out the remainin pieces of our roster. Now take a look at the Colts:

Wes Welker likes ice cream and other Patriots updates

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:02:09 -0500

There were a few stories this week about the Patriots and their players. The most noteworthy has been the news on Ben Watson's ankle surgery and that he may miss training camp. Watson originally injured his ankle while playing versus Dallas on October 14th. Watson missed the next two games and returned only to re-injure the ankle versus the Steelers. The Patriots have not commented on the injury, but as Watson and David Thomas have been often injured over the last two years, the Patriots may look to Stephen Spach to play a bigger role in 2008. Maybe the Patriots pick up Christian Fauria. The Patriots need a blocking tight end like Kyle Brady (started off great in 2007, but was also slowed by injury and couldn't do much in the playoffs) or former Patriot Daniel Graham. The Patriots usually pick a tight end in the draft, so we will have to see on this one. Patriots signings The Patriots re-signed linebacker Pierre Woods and offensive tackle Wesley Britt, two exclusive rights free agent. These signings were expected and retains young talent. Woods has yet to solidify his role at linebacker, but does contribute on special teams. Britt has been competing each year for a starting role and he has filled in for Nick Kaczur and Matt Light. Seymour happy to be back For the first time in two years Richard Seymour is able to start the offseason conditioning program with out any injuries. After two knee surgeries and shoulder injury Seymour is happy to be healthy. Many fans have been critical of Seymour the last few years as his play has dropped off dramatically since he held out for a better contract and received the big 'pay day'. 2008 will be another year of high expectations as Seymour's time with the team may soon be finished if he continues to perform poorly and still have a hefty contract. Seymour and and Ty Warren are both under larger contracts and most fans believe Vince Wilfork is the player to take care of for the next big pay day. Wilfork's contract will be expiring at the end of the season. Buy the numbers Mike Reiss has reported the new numbers for recently signed players. WR Sam Aiken — 88 CB Fernando Bryant — 25 OL Jimmy Martin — 60 CB Lewis Sanders — 29 LB T.J. Slaughter — 51 CB Jason Webster — 21 S Tank Williams — 26 Other News Dallas announced they are not interested in running back McFadden and therefore it looks like there would be no chance for a trade of picks between the Pats and Dallas if McFadden were to fall to No.7. There is also speculation that Tampa Bay QB Chris Simms may soon no longer be with the team. Simms has not shown up for their offseason conditioning program and there have been rumors the Bucs are looking to trade him. Would the Patriots be interested? Belichick knows Phil Simms from their time in New York, but Chris has not been playing like his dad. When Chris did play, he also did not have much help around him. IN BILL WE TRUST!