ChazStandard

Yeah - that feels likely. He struggled with letting up some deeper plays last year - possibly losing his speed a little. He might be playing closer to the LOS this year, with Harmon/rookie taking the deep cover assignments

Kinda feel like BB would like that challenge. I mean, he finished the campaign mode ages ago - he's purely achievement grinding at this point.

Except that's not neccessarily the case. If you take a pay cut - say as a QB for the sake of argument - and are paid 20million instead of 25, that extra 5mil in cap space could be the difference between making the play-offs and not, or even winning the SB and not. A better season on a better team will lead to bigger endorsement deals - especially of you win the SB. That 5 million short fall could easily be made up based on the success of the team. A successful player from a winning team is also more likely to have lucrative post-playing career offers. From coaching to TV. It's not just pay-cut, it's an investment in your teammates and your own future. It blows my mind that more players don't see it that way.

Devin McCourty has told the media he's planning to play in 2019: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001018615/article/patriots-devin-mccourty-on-2019-im-going-to-play He's on the last year of his deal, scheduled to make 9mil with a possible cap hit of over 13 million. Is he worth that much? I would say no, have to think there's a restructure/extension on the way...or even a cut. Cutting him would save the Pats 10 million in cap space.

He has a young team, and an inexperienced QB. It's possible he thought he would play it safe and stick with what they knew, rather than try something unfamiliar on the big stage. A terrible plan against a Patriots defense, but you can see the thought process at least.

Well Modell blew it - the fun BB would have had with that Baltimore roster...they could easily have been a dynasty.

If I was the 49ers I would go after Brown with almost everything I had. We on;y got a couple of SF games here in the UK last year, but from what I saw WR was their biggest weakness. Outside of a fairly one-dimensional Goodwin and they don't have much. Brown would open up everything for those guys, allowing Goodwin to focus on being the down-field guy (a la JJSS in Pitt). I don't know their cap or picks situation, but of all the teams in the league I think they have the most to gain.

In fairness, none of the "Should X make the HoF?" or "Will the Pats break X record?" threads were made by a Patriots fan. Can't blame us if neutral fans think we're the bomb.

I'm actually surprised by a) The fact no one has broken it already, with all the high scoring that goes on I assumed it was broken. and b)The fact there aren't more 21st century teams in the top 10. Also...7 of those ten won the Championship that year. (*Sigh* It could so easily have been 8.) The 1998 Vikings are the only one not to at least make the championship game.

For the Pats it's probably Robert Edwards - had 1500 yfs and 12 TDs as a rookie, then blew out his knee playing volleyball at the pro-bowl, and was never the same. He was lucky he didn't lose his leg, so the fact he made any comeback at all was remarkable, but he never fulfilled his promise. Ended up playing a solid few seasons in the CFL.

I don't think he's saying he likes it that way, just that it is that way. And you know...of course it is. Playing in NY and being a Manning shouldn't boost his HoF chances, but they obviously do.

Do you think there is any power on this Earth that could convince them to send Brown to NE? Anything at all? Please?

Did Vinatieri want to stay? I thought he chose to go to Indy instead of coming back to NE.

Eli is one of those instances where I can see the FAME in Hall of Fame really being stressed. He's never been consensus top 5 at his position - fringe top 10 (if that) for the most part. But his big moments are SO big, plus his name, plus playing in a huge market, seems like he'll get in on his legend rather than his ability.

My contribution is that Arcega Whiteside sounds like a brand of aluminium siding.