Projo Pats Blog

There's bound to be a lot of focus on the problems that have cropped up with the Patriots, but the team -- and the media -- took some time to focus on a positive aspect of the past few weeks, specifically the kick return game. After Ellis Hobbs' fine showing against Miami on Sunday, the Patriots have a 30.9-yard average on kickoff returns, which is second only to the San Diego Chargers in the NFL at this early juncture of the season. Hobbs, who is personally averaging 36 yards per return, credits the entire unit -- a return group that includes lesser-known players such as Ray Ventrone, Sam Aiken and Gary Guyton.

Returning and covering kicks has been a strong suit of Bill Belichick's Patriots for some time now. In the last five years, the Pats have finished in the NFL's top 10 in kick return differential three times, including a first-place finish during the 2006 season and a third-place finish in the 2003 season. They finished in the second half of the league just one time over that five-year period, when the team finished 19th in 2004.

The positive numbers on special teams extend beyond kickoffs: Stephen Gostkowski's perfect 7-for-7 success rate on field goals makes him one of only four kickers -- the Giants' John Carney, the Panthers' John Kasey and the Seahawks' Olindo Mare are the others -- to be perfect on that many attempts. Gostkowski and punter Chris Hanson are also doing their part to give the Patriots the edge in the field position battle: The Patriots are fifth in the league in kickoff average and ninth in yards per punt (although they drop to 20th when net yards per punt are calculated).

BACK ON THE TROY WATCH: About a week after canceling an appearance on Comcast Sports Net where he was to announce his new career as a TV analyst, former Patriots wide receiver Troy Brown has a news conference at 10 this morning with Bob Kraft and Bill Belichick to discuss ... something. Check back here to see what that something is -- indications are that it will be a retirement announcement. (projo PatsBlog)

I'VE SAID WHAT I NEED TO SAY: After saying a mouthful about the Patriots fans on Monday, cornerback Ellis Hobbs seemed to be avoiding reporters at practice yesterday. (projo PatsBlog)

WHERE LIES THE BLAME? Matt Cassel is getting sacked at twice the rate of Tom Brady a year ago, and although the offensive line is willing to accept some blame, there is also the question of whether Cassel needs to do a better job of getting rid of the ball. Quick decision-making, as we have noted before, is a big part of what made Brady Brady. (Boston Herald)

HAVEN'T WE SEEN THIS PICTURE BEFORE? Celebrity web site TMZ.com, which seems to have more news on Tom Brady these days than the sports sites, posted a video of Brady and Gisele Bunchen in New York City. Brady, who is still waiting to have surgery on his injured knee, walks gingerly in the video, but without the aide of crutches or a cane. Click here to watch the video.

BACK IN PADS: That was running back Laurence Maroney, who participated fully in practice yesterday after missing Sunday's debacle with a shoulder injury. (Boston.com)

A TOTAL TEAM EFFORT: Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown, who ran for five touchdowns Sunday and passed for another, is your AFC Offensive Player of the Week. The list of 11 nominees actually included six Dolphins -- Brown and all five members of the Miami offensive line. (profootballtalk.com)

HAPPY AT HIS EXPENSE: The news that the Detroit Lions had finally fired team president Matt Millen provoked horn-blowing displays of celebration outside the team's headquarters. (projo.com) Don't feel too bad for Millen: His take for "guiding" the franchise to the worst record in the NFL over the last seven-plus seasons could total $50 million.

COINCIDENTALLY SPEAKING: On the same day that the Lions fired Millen, the Saints dumped Joey Harrington, the quarterback Millen tried to build around and who became a symbol of Detroit futility. (NFL.com)

I NEVER LIKED HIM ANYWAY: Steve Mariucci, one of three head coaches hired by Millen at some point, said on the NFL Network's "Total Access" program that while Millen might have been a good player, he was a lousy executive. "Keep in mind, he had never been a coach, never been a scout, and never had any management experience at all. To think he would do a good job is really speculative. He didn't have the background or qualifications to jump into personnel nor take the time and interest.

CURSED? ISN'T THAT OBVIOUS? Wide receiver Roy Williams sounds like he wants out of Detroit, saying he's fed up with losing, but in the meantime he has practical considerations: "I think this place is cursed. I asked our chaplain if he knew anyone who could christen Ford Field to get it right for us." (Detroit Free Press)

TROUBLE AT HOME: The wife of suspended Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress has twice in recent months received temporary restraining orders against her husband after calling the police to report domestic disturbances. The Giants won't say if the domestic issues have anything to do with the suspension of Burress, which followed his ditching practice on Monday and then not returning phone calls from the team. (NorthJersey.com)

BECOMING THE STORY: We haven't mentioned this nugget from the Raiders/Lane Kiffin saga yet, so here goes: San Jose Mercury News reporter Tim Kawakami nearly found himself in a fistfight with top Raiders executive John Herrera, who is considered Al Davis' number-two man in Oakland, during a news conference this week with Kiffin, who has to endure questions day in and day out about whether he's about to be fired. Herrera is widely suspected out West of distributing anti-Kiffin propaganda to the local press. Here's a video of the latest Raider embarrassment (that we know of):

GAG ORDER: The National Football Post reports that Kiffin agreed to do an interview discussing his situation with the NFL Network's Adam Schefter while the Raiders were in Buffalo, but Davis pulled the plug and warned Kiffin that going ahead with the session would be an act of insubordination.

NOT WILLING TO CHANGE: Minnesota Vikings pass rusher extraordinnaire Jared Allen claims that his team used Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme's emotional play against him on Sunday. But Delhomme, whose heart-on-the-sleeve, fist-pumping demeanor was on full display when his Panthers took the Patriots the distance in the Super Bowl a few years ago, feels that his style helps the team: "I think I've been that way since I came out of the birth canal. That's me. I won't change. And I think it's worked well for me, somewhat." (Carolina Growl)

TEST TIME FOR THE ROOKIES: The undefeated Buffalo Bills, who are losing wide receiver and return man Roscoe Parrish for up to six weeks, will have to depend on first-round draft pick Leodis McKelvin and second-round pick James Hardy to help pick up the slack. (Buffalo News)

HOPEFUL ON HARRIS: Despite a "serious" spleen injury and an announcement by his agent earlier this week that his season was over, cornerback Al Harris could return to action for the Packers this season, Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. McCarthy said the better news came as Harris sought additional medical opinions after injuring himself when he collided with teammate A.J. Hawk during the Packers' loss on Sunday night against Dallas.

OCHO STINKO: That about sums up the performance so far this year of Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Johnson, who has 88 yards receiving and no touchdowns through three games. But Johnson -- uncharacteristically -- isn't complaining, and insists that "my time will come." (projo.com)

TRAINING FOR A BACKUP ROLE: Vince Young has returned to practice participation, running for the first time on Tuesday and making throws yesterday. Still, he has no chance of returning to the starting job so long as the Titans keep thriving under Kerry Collins. (projo.com)

IN HIS CORNER: Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb offered words of support for Young. This coming from a player who knows a thing or two about being embattled: "I think he's handling it the right way. You want to continue to stay strong mentally, physically, and spiritually in the situation and stay positive and know everything is going to work out for the better." (Fanhouse.com) McNabb, by the way, was one of a long list of Eagles offensive players who missed practice yesterday -- also missing were Brian Westbrook, Shawn Andrews, Kevin Curtis, L.J. Smith and Tony Hunt.

ROADBLOCK: Bears coach Lovie Smith says he's worried about how his run-centered offense will fare against the tough Eagles defense on Sunday night. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

COWHER COMEBACK: The rumor in Cleveland is that former Steelers coach Bill Cowher has bought a home in Ohio and may be eying a job with his former archrivals. But if Cowher thinks he has a job waiting in Cleveland, that's presumably bad news for head coach Romeo Crennel and GM Phil Savage. (profootballtalk.com)

ROMEO ON A LIMB: Crennel said yesterday that he ignored the advice of Cleveland legend Jim Brown when he decided to stick with Derek Anderson as his starting quarterback for this week's game against the Bengals. (ohio.com)

KEEPING HIS OPTIONS OPEN: Tight end Tony Gonzalez, one of the greatest Kansas City Chiefs of all time, says it is possible that he might request a trade from his going-nowhere-fast squad to a contending team. (NFL.com)

SAD NEWS IN TAMPA: The 3-month-old son of Buccaneers place kicker Matt Bryant died yesterday of an unknown cause. (projo.com)

FAREWELL, OLD PRO: New England football fans of a certain vintage (not mine) will remember former Giants cornerback Dick Lynch, who died yesterday from leukemia at age 72. (projo.com) Lynch led the NFL in interceptions in 1961 and 1963, and as a collegian in 1957 scored the touchdown for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish that broke Oklahoma's 47-game winning streak. After his retirement, he was a radio analyst for the Giants for many years.

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