Tampa Bay Bucs QB coach: Offense will be Bruce Arians' with 'Brady influence'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback coach Clyde Christensen plans to "keep the offense the same" this season, with the addition of "a [Tom] Brady influence." Christensen says it will remain head coach Bruce Arians’ offense, guided by free-agent addition Tom Brady.

The Buccaneers passed on 62% of their downs last season, seventh-most in the NFL. Arians loves having his quarterbacks air the ball out. Brady fared well in his deep passes last season. According to Pro Football Reference, Brady was one of 14 QBs to post a passer Rating over 100 on throws at least 20 yards downfield.

Brady has two of the best receivers in the NFL by his side in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. The acquisition of longtime target Rob Gronkowski should help Brady and the Bucs become one of the most pass-friendly teams in the league.

The Bucs relied on the passing attack heavily last season, even with turnover prone Jameis Winston under center. When tied or leading, the Bucs passed 55% of the time, according to Sharp Football Stats. The Bucs will likely be ahead more this season than last, but that does not necessarily mean they will pass less often.

Brady, who is entering his age-43 season, has some of his best offensive weapons in a long time and will have plenty of passing opportunities. Sitting second all-time in passing yards and TD passes (trailing Drew Brees in both categories), Brady can pile on to his statistical greatness with the Bucs.

An Ode to Rodney Harrison, the Greatest Free Agent Signing in Patriots History

The NFL free agency market has been quiet lately. The 2020 NFL Draft, which runs April 23-25, is the feature event football fans now have to look forward to.

This year’s free agency period was brutal for the New England Patriots. They were gutted with departures, as franchise icon Tom Brady defected to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after 20 legendary seasons in New England.

The Patriots also lost linebackers Kyle Van Noy (Dolphins) and Jamie Collins (Lions). They did, however, add safety Adrian Phillips. An undrafted free agent, Phillips originally entered the NFL with the then-San Diego Chargers in 2014. The defensive back is most known for his elite special teams’ play. He earned a Pro Bowl nod and was named to the first-team All-Pro in 2018, both as a special teamer. Phillips suffered a broken arm in Week 2 last year, a season-ending injury that effectively ended his six-year run with the Chargers.

With the exciting part of free agency come and gone, it gives us a chance to look back on prior free agent signings. Specifically with regards to the Patriots, who is the best signing in team history? That honor belongs to Rodney Harrison.

Rodney Harrison: Patriots Career (2003-08) Overview 

After being released by the Chargers in February of 2003, the 31-year-old safety Harrison joined the Patriots on a six-year pact.

Harrison shined in his first season in New England, leading all NFL defensive backs in tackles (143) in an All-Pro campaign. Named a defensive captain, Harrison helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl with a dominant postseason, collecting two interceptions and a forced fumble across three playoff victories. He picked off a Jake Delhomme pass in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

The following season, Harrison again led the league in tackles (138). He was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2004 and again made his mark in the postseason. Harrison intercepted Peyton Manning for the second consecutive postseason, this time in the divisional round in the Patriots’ win over the Indianapolis Colts. He had Manning’s number, and the five-time NFL MVP quarterback even gave a shutout to Harrison in his Hall of Fame speech.

Harrison came through with a pick-six the following week against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship. He intercepted a pass from then-rookie Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 87 yards for a TD.  

Adding to his playoff legacy, Harrison intercepted two more passes in Super Bowl XXXIX versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Harrison was the Patriots’ best defensive player during that postseason, amassing four interceptions and leading New England to its second straight title.

Mike Vrabel (right) celebrates with Rodney Harrison (left) after the safety secured a game-sealing interception in Super Bowl 39. (AP)

Following the 2008 season, Harrison retired from the NFL after 15 seasons—six with the Patriots. Across six years in New England, he accumulated 634 tackles with eight interceptions, 32 pass breakups, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and nine sacks. In addition to his regular-season totals, Harrison also mustered seven interceptions in nine playoffs contests.

Titans Release Dion Lewis

After two unproductive seasons in Nashville, the Tennessee Titans are cutting running back Dion Lewis. The Titans informed Lewis that he’ll be released, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Lewis signed a four-year, $20 million deal in 2018.

Due to the emergence of Derrick Henry, arguably the NFL's most dominant running back, Lewis became an afterthought in the Titans' offense.  Lewis amassed just 209 yards on 54 carries and caught only 25 passes for 164 yards last year.

Lewis played 61 percent of the snaps in his first season in Tennessee, but that percentage shrunk to 37 in 2019. 

Lewis was a non-factor in the Titans' offense last season. (James Kenney/AP)

Releasing Lewis clears just over $4 million from the salary cap, making this a no-brainer move for the Titans. The release of Lewis gives the Titans more funds to negotiate with Henry, a free agent. The Titans may place the franchise tag on Henry if the two sides cannot come to terms on a deal.

The Titans are rumored to have interest in free agent QB Tom Brady, but could opt to bring back Ryan Tannehill instead. After leading the Titans to the AFC Championship in his first season with the franchise, Tannehill could ink a long-term deal to remain in Tennessee. Tannehill made his first career Pro Bowl in 2019, won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors and led the league in passer rating.

Lewis enjoyed his best seasons with the New England Patriots. A member of the Patriots for three years (2015-17), Lewis helped the Patriots win Super LI. He played a crucial role in the team's run to Super LII during his impressive 2017 campaign.

Lewis forced 49 missed tackles in 2017 and registered 3.17 yards after contact, both team-highs, according to Pro Football Focus. Even more impressive, Lewis ranked first in Pro Football Focus’ “elusive rating,” which combines missed tackles and yards after contact.

A force in the passing game, Lewis did not drop a single pass (35 targets) in 2017, one of only 11 players to see more than 30 targets without dropping a pass. In terms of catch rate, he ranked first (91.4%) in the league among qualified players.

Unable to replicate that level of success with the Titans, the 29-year-old Lewis will look to join a new team this offseason. Lewis, a fifth-round selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, has collected 19 TDs (11 rushing, seven receiving, one kick return) in his nine-year career. He has accumulated 2,310 rushing yards, to go along with 172 catches and 1,281 receiving yards, in 85 games played.

Jakobi Meyers Emerging as Tom Brady's 'Favorite Target' in Camp

A rookie wide receiver has made a significant impact during the New England Patriots’ training camp. Undrafted free agent Jakobi Meyers—not first-round selection N'Keal Harry—has emerged as the “favorite target” for quarterback Tom Brady.

Julian Edelman is sidelined with a thumb injury, allowing other receivers the chance to shine. Meyers has taken advantage of the opportunity. He has earned reps with the first team offense and could carve a role in the Patriots’ offense in 2019 if Josh Gordon remains suspended indefinitely.

Meyers has made a name for himself in training camp. (Mandy Lane/Boston Herald)

The 6-foot-2, 203-pound former North Carolina State wideout has been the talk of the town during most of the team’s practices. He grabbed 14-of-18 targets in 11-on-11 drills on Monday.

Meyers is a converted quarterback who switched to wide receiver before his sophomore year at N.C. State. He hauled in 92 receptions in 2018—the seventh-most in college football—for the Wolfpack during his senior season.

Not enough people are talking about NC State's Jakobi Meyers (@jkbmyrs5).

He isn't a big separator, but he catches everything. He's a top-5 WR in this class in drop rate and contested catch %.

He's a Jason Avant clone, IMO. Chain mover, sneaky red-zone threat and SO consistent. pic.twitter.com/XuAPGnCz3V

— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) March 30, 2019

Brady praised Meyers for seizing the moment during training camp.

                          

“He’s done a great job and he’s taken advantage of his opportunities,” Brady said. “I think that’s really what we try to stress to anybody. It really doesn’t matter — the football doesn’t care how old you are, whether you were drafted or not. The football doesn’t care how much experience you have. It just knows that when I let that ball go, it’s got to be in the hands of the guy who it’s intended for. If that happens to be him, it’s him. If it’s Julian, it’s Julian. Whoever it is, it doesn’t matter in football.”

Patriots Draft Arizona State WR N'Keal Harry

The New England Patriots selected Arizona State wide receiver N'Keal Harry with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Harry (6’3/228) is a physical 21-year-old wideout who maximizes his size and athleticism.

Harry addresses a major need for the Patriots, who lost Rob Gronkowski (retirement) and Chris Hogan (free agency) in the offseason. With WR Josh Gordon suspended indefinitely, Harry has the opportunity to make an immediate impact in his rookie season in New England.

The Patriots selected ASU's N'Keal Harry with their first pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. (Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)

In three years with the Sun Devils, Harry, a two-time All-Pac-12 selection, logged 2,889 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. He averaged 13.6 yards per reception and caught 85% of his targets. Harry recorded an impressive 7.1 yards-after-catch (YAC) this past season.

#ArizonaState WR N'Keal Harry is a unique player. He's built like a downfield threat as a jump ball guy but he might be the best YAC receiver in the class. He's impossible to bring down because of his frame/strength and his moves and vision in the open field are superb. pic.twitter.com/0TIs8gYPj4

— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) February 9, 2019

A versatile player, Harry can line up as an outside receiver and in the slot. He is an elite route runner who has great hands.

Good night.@NkealHarry15 | #PatsDraft
pic.twitter.com/jKPKkabsRb

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 26, 2019

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will love throwing to Harry. According to Pro Football Focus, Harry had the third-most contested catches in the NCAAF over the past two seasons and ranked first with a 57.5 contested catch percentage.

Harry is the first wide receiver taken in the first round in the Bill Belichick era. The last time the Patriots picked a wideout in the first round was 1996, when they drafted Terry Glenn with the 7th overall pick. Harry was one of just two receivers selected in the opening round of the 2019 NFL Draft, as the Baltimore Ravens nabbed Oklahoma WR Marquise Brown with the 25^th overall pick.

15 Best Performances of Super Bowl LIII

Highlighting the 15 best performances from the New England Patriots' 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

15. Jason McCourty
McCourty made one of the most crucial plays in the Patriots' Super Bowl LIII victory when he chased down a pass from Rams quarterback Jared Goff, knocking the ball away from the intended target Brandin Cooks, who was open in the back of the end zone.

Per @NextGenStats Jason McCourty was 19.2 (!!!) yards away from Brandin Cooks when Jared Goff released this pass pic.twitter.com/krJDeZoNtV

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) February 5, 2019

14. Johnny Hekker
Hekker, a Pro Bowler for the Rams in 2018, set a Super Bowl record with a 65-yard punt and had five punts inside the 20-yard line.
13. Dont'a Hightower
The Patriots linebacker recorded a game-best two sacks.
12. Stephen Gostkowski
The Patriots kicker sealed the deal with a 41-yard field goal to put the Patriots up 10 with a little over a minute remaining. He missed a field goal in the first quarter, but made a 42-yard kick in the second quarter and converted his only PAT.

Stephen Gostkowski puts the Patriots up 10! #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/hbBrW2zHPm

— Sports Daily (@SportsDGI) February 4, 2019

11. Jonathan Jones
Jones led the Patriots in tackles (eight) and had one sack.
10. New England's Offensive Line
The Patriots' O-line dominated throughout the playoffs. They paved the way for their running backs to run wild in their Super Bowl win.
9. Brandin Cooks
The former Patriot, Cooks was the only Rams player to produce on the offensive end. He caught eight passes for 120 yards.
8. Rob Gronkowski
Gronkowski's 29-yard reception, which set up Sony Michel's decisive fourth-quarter TD, was the game's longest play from scrimmage. He had six catches for 87 yards. Gronkowski holds Super Bowl records among tight ends in catches (23) and receiving yards (297).
7. Tom Brady
Brady was far from great—throwing an interception on his first pass and finishing with a 71.4 passer rating—but considerably outplayed Goff. He finished with 262 passing yards in the win to claim his sixth Super Bowl title.
6. Sony Michel
Michel rushed for 94 yards and the lone TD of the game. He extended his rookie record with his sixth TD of these playoffs.

Sony Michel scored the only TD of Super Bowl LIII. (Image via Boston Globe)

5. Kyle Van Noy
Van Noy was all over the field on Super Sunday, totaling four tackles, a pass defended, three QB hits and a critical sack. 
4. Brian Flores
Flores, set to be the newest coach of the Miami Dolphins after serving as the linebackers coach of the Patriots and the team's defensive play-caller, put forth a great scheme on Sunday. While it may be Belichick's defense, Flores deserves a lot of credit for holding the Rams, the No. 2 scoring offense in 2018, to three points.
3. Stephon Gilmore
Gilmore had the biggest defensive play of the night, intercepting an errant Goff pass. Gilmore, one of two Patriots players to earn a Pro Bowl nod, had five tackles and three passes defended.
2. Bill Belichick
The greatest coach in NFL history won his sixth Super Bowl title with New England, stiffing the Rams' high-powered offense. The Rams gained just 260 yards (4.3 per play), their second-lowest total of the season and finished 3-for-13 on third downs. The Rams tied the 1971 Dolphins for fewest points in a Super Bowl. LA ran zero plays in the red zone.
1. Julian Edelman
The Super Bowl MVP finished with 10 catches for 141 yards, accounting for more than half of the Patriots' total receiving yardage (262). 

Julian Edelman holds his Super Bowl MVP trophy. (David J. Phillip/AP)

Edelman routinely came up with big plays in huge moments, converting on critical third downs and helping to spark an otherwise ineffective offense. Edelman has 115 career postseason catches for 1,412 yards, ranking second only to Jerry Rice all time in both playoff categories.

Betts Deserves to Win AP Male Athlete of the Year

Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts continues to rack up the awards. Betts was named the 2018 American League Most Valuable Player on Thursday after batting a major-league best .346 for the 108-win Red Sox. He is the first Red Sox player to win MVP since Dustin Pedroia claimed the crown in 2008.

Mookie Betts earned the 2018 AL MVP Award. (Billie Weiss/Getty Images)

Not only did Betts register the best batting average of 2018, he also led MLB in slugging, runs, and Wins Above Replacement (WAR). He is the first player in MLB history to win the battle title and produce a 30-30 season in the same year, slugging 32 homers and collecting 30 stolen bases.

In addition to being named AL MVP and helping the Red Sox win the World Series, Betts captured his second career AL Silver Slugger Award and earned an AL Gold Glove for the second time. He also won the Heart and Hustle Award, which is given to the player who “best embodies the values, spirits and traditions of baseball.” An accolade-filled 2018, could the Associated Press (AP) Male Athlete of the Year be the next honor Betts claims?

Houston Astros infielder José Altuve was named the 2017 AP Male Athlete of the Year. What did Altuve do to earn last year's honor? He was an AL Silver Slugger recipient, won the AL's battling title and MVP, and helped lead the Astros to a championship. Betts, of course, accomplished all of the aforementioned personal and team achievements in his incredulous 2018 season.

In the past year, Betts is the only athlete of the four major North American sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL) to win MVP and a team championship. Tom Brady of the New England Patriots won his third NFL MVP last season, but lost in the Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Houston Rockets’ James Harden led his squad to the best record in the NBA in his MVP campaign, but lost in the Western Conference Finals to the eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors. Taylor Hall seized the NHL MVP crown, but his New Jersey Devils were eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs.

Betts led the Red Sox to the World Series title. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Combining individual excellence and team success, Betts posted the most impressive résumé of any athlete in 2018. He seeks to become the first Boston athlete to win the AP honors since Brady held the title in 2007 when he spearheaded the Patriots to a perfect regular-season record. The last Red Sox AP Athlete of the Year was Fred Lynn in 1975.

Taking home the AP Male Athlete of the Year Award would cap off an incredible year for Betts, who became a father on Nov. 6.

Tom Brady Could've Avoided Deflategate Suspension had he Denounced Equipment Staffers, New Book Says

According to the recently released book, “12: The Inside Story of Tom Brady's Fight For Redemption”—co-authored by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge—New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady could have escaped his four-game suspension for Deflategate.

The book claims that Brady could have avoided the suspension—which he served during the first four games of the 2016 season after initially winning his appeal before the 2015 campaign—had he paid a $1 million fine to the league and publicly blamed team equipment staffers, John Jastremski and Jim McNally, for altering the footballs. Brady declined, refusing to throw Jastremski and McNally under the bus, as the legendary QB showed his loyalty for the team extends beyond just teammates, ownership and coaching staff.

Five-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady turned 41 on Friday. (Bob DeChiara/USA Today Sports)

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell proposed this offer to Brady, according to the book.

"Goodell] demanded that Brady state publicly that former Patriots equipment guys [John] Jastremski and [Jim] McNally had purposely tampered with footballs, even without [Brady’s] knowledge."

Brady turned down this deal from Goodell because he believed the staffers were innocent.

“There’s no way I’m gonna ruin these guys for something I believe they didn’t do,” Brady told NFL Players Association head DeMaurice Smith.

Refusing to denounce the equipment staffers, Brady was forced to sit the first four contests of the 2016 season. The Patriots went 3-1 without Brady, though, led by former quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brisett.


Brady dominated in his return to action, throwing 28 touchdowns with just two interceptions—posting the greatest TD-to-interception ratio in NFL history. Despite missing 25 percent of the season due to suspension, he managed to finish second in MVP voting. Matt Ryan won the award, but his Atlanta Falcons lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl LI as Brady won his fifth Super Bowl title.

Dion Lewis is the Most Talented Patriots Running Back of the Tom Brady Era

                Countless running backs have thrived for the New England Patriots since Tom Brady took over the starting quarterback duties in 2001.

                The most prominent fixture in the running back rotation of the Brady-era, Kevin Faulk was utilized primarily as a pass-catching back. Faulk spent his entire 13-year (1999-2011) career with the franchise and was elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame.

                Short-term former workhorses include two-time Super Bowl champion  Antowain Smith (2001-03), 2004 Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion Corey Dillon (2004-06), Lawrence Maroney (2006-09)—who rushed for over 100 yards in consecutive playoff games following the 2007 perfect regular season—BenJarvus Green-Ellis (2008-2011), Stevan Ridley (2011-14) and two-time Super Bowl champion LeGarrette Blount (2013, 2014-16).

                Now an afterthought in the Patriots current running back corps, James White put together one of the best performances in Super Bowl history just 11 months ago—catching 14 passes for 110 yards and a score, and turning six carries into 29 yards and two touchdowns in the Patriots’ historic comeback win in Super Bowl LI.

                Rex Burkhead has looked tremendous when healthy this season and even Mike Gillislee, a frequent healthy scratch, managed five touchdowns on the year.

                But White, Burkhead and Gillislee didn’t come close to the production of Dion Lewis, the team’s lead back after starting out the year fourth-string in the rotation. Statistics aside, they simply can’t measure up talent wise to Lewis—in fact, no running back from the Brady-era can.

                Lewis—who carried the ball a career-high 26 times for 93 yards and a touchdown with a season-high six receptions for 40 yards and another score in Sunday’s win over the New York Jets—is as dynamic and complete a player as running backs come. He rarely gets brought down by the first would-be tackler. He forced 49 missed tackles and registered 3.17 yards after contact, both team-highs, according to Pro Football Focus. Even more impressive, Lewis ranked first in Pro Football Focus’ “elusive rating,” which combines missed tackles and yards after contact.

                A force in the passing game, Lewis did not drop a single pass (35 targets) all season, one of only 11 players to see more than 30 targets without dropping a pass. In terms of catch rate, he ranked first (91.4%) in the league among qualified players.

                Not only is Lewis an elite ball-carrier and pass-catcher, he also excels as a blocker in pass protection. He did not allow any QB hurries on 35 blocks this season. Lewis and teammate James Develin, a Pro Bowl selection, were two of four players to not allow any pressures among qualified halfbacks and fullbacks.

                The explosiveness of Lewis is matched by few running backs across the league. He has all the makings of a superstar, and proved that by totaling four touchdowns in the past two weeks in which he has been given a full workload in the backfield. 

                Lewis is a free agent in the offseason and could be in line for a big payday elsewhere. So before the Patriots go for their third Lombard Trophy in four seasons, let’s take a chance to recognize how special a player Lewis has been this year—just in case the most talented Patriots running back (since Brady has been under center) departs after the season.

Tom Brady Likely Edges Out Todd Gurley for MVP

Playing in his 18^th season at the age of 40, Tom Brady is a near-lock to win the 2017 NFL Most Valuable Player award. Already earning the league MVP honors twice before (2007, 2010), Brady led the New England Patriots to a 13-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the AFC as the franchise earned its eighth consecutive bye for the postseason.

            Brady led the NFL in passing yards (4,577), and ranked third in touchdowns (32) and third in passer rating (102.8). According to metrics determined by Football Outsiders, Brady was the best quarterback in terms of total value and total value per play.

Tom Brady was the best player of the 2017 NFL season. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

            The likely runner-up for MVP, Todd Gurley, spearheaded the 11-5 Los Angeles Rams’ high-octane offense, which ranked first in points per game (29.9)—a year after the team finished dead last in points and yards per contest. A workhouse for the Rams, the running back totaled 1,305 rushing yards with 13 touchdowns, and added 788 receiving yards and six more scores. He registered these breathtaking numbers despite resting in Week 17. Teammate Aaron Donald could be named the Defensive Player of the Year, but no one was more instrumental to the Rams’ first winning season since 2003 than Gurley.

Todd Gurley carried the Rams to a historic offensive turnaround. (Harry How/ Getty Images)

            Gurley amassed eight touchdowns in his final three games played and pushed the Rams to the NFC West title and the third-seed in the NFC playoffs. He generated plenty of MVP buzz after becoming the first running back ever to win two consecutive NFC Player of the Week honors (Week 15, 16). His superhuman statistics down the stretch will give some voters pause in selecting Brady for MVP. But ultimately, the award takes into account the entire year, and no player had a more impressive season résumé than Brady.

            The most reasonable—and likely scenario—sees the league hand the MVP award to Brady and the Offensive Player of the Year to Gurley. 

NFL MVP Race: Russell Wilson Emerges as Biggest Threat to Tom Brady

The Seattle Seahawks’ upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles capped off Sunday’s Week 13 NFL action. Behind Russell Wilson, Seattle (8-4) ended Philly’s league-best nine-game winning streak and kept the Seahawks within a game of first place in the NFC West behind the Los Angeles Rams (9-3), who took care of business against the woeful Arizona Cardinals. Wilson threw for 227 yards and three scores and added 31 rushing yards (118.6 passer rating) as he strengthened his case for Most Valuable Player in the victory, outplaying his counterpart and MVP candidate Carson Wentz. With Wilson’s performance on Sunday night in consideration, here is a look at the updated race for the league's MVP award.

5. Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bell and the Steelers travel to Cincinnati for ‘Monday Night Football’ to conclude Week 13. Even without playing his Week 13 contest, Bell currently leads the NFL with 981 rushing yards. His heavy workload, a league-high 252 rushing attempts, illustrates the Steelers’ reliance on the 25-year-old running back. The sensational play of teammate Antonio Brown, the NFL’s most dominant wideout who leads the league in receiving yards and warrants MVP consideration, devalues Bell’s MVP chances.   

4. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Gurley currently leads the NFL with 1,502 yards from scrimmage (Bell could take the lead if he posts 125 yards from scrimmage on Monday night) and is the only halfback in the league with over 900 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards. Gurley has 11 touchdowns (eight rushing, three receiving), tied for most in the NFL with New Orleans Saints electrifying rookie running back Alvin Kamara.

Todd Gurley rushed for 74 yards and caught six passes for 84 yards in the Los Angeles Rams' road victory over the Arizona Cardinals. (Christian Peterson/Getty Images)

3. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

Despite the defeat on Sunday night, the 10-2 Eagles are tied for the No. 1 seed in the NFC with the red-hot Minnesota Vikings, behind the quarterback play of Wentz, who is on pace to shatter Eagles franchise records. Wentz has thrown for the most touchdown passes (29) in the NFL. The Eagles are tied with the Rams for the league-lead in points per game (30.1).

2. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Right in the thick of the ultra-competitive NFC, Wilson has done it all on offense for the Seahawks. Despite a spotty offensive line and the lack of effective complimentary running backs, Wilson has thrown for 3,029 yards and 23 touchdowns with just eight interceptions this season. He also has rushed for a team-best 401 yards and three scores.

Russell Wilson scrambles past Eagles defensive end Chris Long. (Josh Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports)

1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots

40 years young, Brady is playing the best football of his legendary career. Brady improved his record to 27-3 against the division-rival Bills with New England's win over Buffalo on Sunday. He leads the NFL in passing yards, completions, and passer rating. He ranks second in completion percentage (Drew Brees) and TD passes (Wentz). The 10-2 Patriots look like the best team in the NFL and Brady is the biggest reason why.

Teams Should be Weary of Dealing a First-Round Pick for Garoppolo

            Jimmy Garoppolo flashed the talent of an NFL starter for the first two games of the 2016 season.

            Under center with Tom Brady serving his suspension from the witch hunt of Deflategate, Garoppolo led the New England Patriots to a 23-21 road victory over the Arizona Cardinals on 'Sunday Night Football.' Garoppolo completed 24 of 33 passes for one touchdown with a 106.1 passer rating. He followed that up with a 18-for-26 passing performance for 232 yards and three TDs versus the Miami Dolphins in a 31-24 win.

Garoppolo led the Patriots, an underdog on the road at Arizona, to a victory on primetime. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)  

            A right shoulder injury forced Garoppolo out of the game against Miami, which thrust rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett into action to close out the contest. Brissett then started the next two games at Gillette Stadium, defeating the Houston Texans on 'Thursday Night Football' and then losing to the Buffalo Bills.

            Despite failing to last through two games, Garoppolo impressed scouts and coaches across the league. He remains a hot commodity for QB-needy teams at the onset of the 2017 offseason.

            Garoppolo looked the part of a successful starting QB in his two weeks of play. But is it really worth it for a team to fork over a first-round pick for a guy who has thrown 94 career passes?

            As if his inability to stay healthy wasn’t enough to give teams pause, we have already seen another Patriots backup, Matt Cassel, thrive on a short-term basis in New England, only to fall flat on his face with the Kansas City Chiefs.

            After witnessing Cassel win 10 of 15 starts with New England in the 2008 season, Kansas City coughed up the No. 34 pick in the 2009 draft to acquire him (and linebacker Mike Vrabel). They also rewarded Cassel's performance in ’08 with a six-year, $62.7 million contract that included $28 million in guaranteed money. Aside from his 2010 Pro Bowl campaign, Cassel was a major bust for Kansas City. He was released in 2013 just four years into the contract and failed to ever become a long-term starter again, going 7-11 in spot starts for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills over the past four seasons.

            Another concern for teams pondering a deal for Garoppolo—a free agent after 2017 who will be looking to sign a lucrative extension with whichever team trades for him—is we just saw Brock Osweiler fail colossally after being handed a 4-year, $72 million contract. This came a year after showing signs of a franchise quarterback while briefly taking over for Peyton Manning with the Denver Broncos in 2015.

            It’s unfair to compare the woeful Osweiler, who threw 15 touchdowns against 16 interceptions with a dreadful 72.2 passer rating, to Garoppolo. But keep in mind Osweiler was highly sought after during the 2016 offseason. The Broncos offered him a 4-year, $68 million deal, which he unwisely declined.  Garoppolo certainly has cleaner mechanics than Osweiler, but the fact remains Garoppolo only flashed greatness for a brief period in New England—similar to how Osweiler did in Denver (albeit Osweiler showcased far less with the Broncos).

Brock Osweiler did not live up to expectations in his first season with the Texans. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle)

            Though unlikely, teams should fear Garoppolo is Osweiler 2.0. Garoppolo briefly succeeding in the Patriots' well-established offensive system is hardly a guarantee he will thrive elsewhere.

            The true value of Garoppolo, a potential one-year rental, should be a mid-round pick. Yet, there are rumors the Cleveland Browns may ship the 11^th pick in the upcoming draft and a second-rounder for a QB who showed merely glimpses of brilliance.

            The Chicago Bears, too, have been rumored in trade talks with New England with talks centered on the Bears’ first-round pick. Chicago desperately wants to move on from the embattled Jay Cutler. Would the Bears really give away the No. 3 pick in the draft to land Garoppolo, an unproven commodity?

            In recent years, teams have gravitated towards backups who had short stints of success and then signed these QBs to a long-term deal or traded for them in a blockbuster move. Kevin Kolb and Matt Flynn (in addition to Cassel and Osweiler) are proof of the risk of handing franchise money to a quarterback who lacks a large sample size of success.

            Maybe Garoppolo is different and becomes the elite quarterback that the Browns, Bears and other QB-hungry teams desire. It still sounds dicey to give the franchise reigns to Garoppolo after seeing other backups fail to pan out.

            New England would love if a team pulls the trigger on a trade that nets it a first-round draft selection as Brady continues to defy age and remain the best quarterback in football. But buyer beware, surrendering a top-draft pick—and potentially mortgaging the future—for Garoppolo could set the franchise back for years to come.

Paul Pierce, Boston Fans Gear Up For Emotional Super Sunday

                This year’s Super Bowl Sunday embodies the riveting experience of a Boston sports fan.

            Before New England Patriots QB Tom Brady bids for his fifth Super Bowl ring, Boston Celtics legend and current Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul Pierce will play his last game at TD Garden. Tip-off is at 2 p.m., just hours in advance of Super Bowl LI between the Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons.

Paul Pierce, former Celtics superstar, will square off against current Boston superstar Isaiah Thomas. (Brian Babineau/Getty Images)

                Boston fans must plan accordingly for what will be a day of elevated emotion as they give “The Truth” a final salute before he retires this summer—and then immediately gear up for the Patriots’ quest for #OneMore victory to secure the franchise’s fifth Lombardi trophy.

                Just like the fervent Boston fans, Pierce too, must prepare for a full Sunday of sports euphoria. The former NBA Finals MVP who holds Celtics franchise records in three-pointers, free throws and steals and ranks second in team history for scoring (24,021 points, to be exact) is an unabashed die-hard Patriots fan (just glance at his Twitter and Facebook accounts to understand the scope of his fanhood). The 39-year-old became a Boston sports icon alongside Brady in the 2000’s and hopes to see the four-time Super Bowl champion add another ring to his collection on Sunday.

Matt Ryan vs the 🐐 😂😂😂pats baby let's get this

— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) January 23, 2017

                Pierce, a first-ballot Hall of Famer who played the first 15 seasons of his career with the Celtics, has demonstrated his support for the Patriots throughout the playoffs—as he has done for over a decade now—despite last being a part of the Boston sports scene in 2013 when the Celtics traded him to the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster deal.

Hey Mortamier we're Back pic.twitter.com/6B4PHg1N4Y

— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) January 23, 2017

                Pulling for a fellow Boston championship MVP, Pierce holds firm in his belief that Brady is the G.O.A.T. of NFL QB's. Just ask Danny Ainge, the Celtics president of basketball operations, who spoke on Thursday in his weekly appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Rich,” and revealed Pierce regularly (and adamantly) argues in support of Brady's illustrious legacy.

                “If you ever wanted to throw Paul off his game in practice or just get him in a heated argument, all you had to do was say, ‘I think Peyton Manning is better than Tom Brady,’ and he would just go off and want to fight,” Ainge said.

                Ainge hinted that the Celtics plan to give Pierce a well-deserved video tribute—just as they did in his first game as an opposing player:

                Pierce garners respect from the Celtics Greats and some of the team’s well-known media personalities, including Mike Gorman. The Celtics play-by-play announcer for CSN New England, Gorman called Pierce his “favorite Celtic ever,” while color commentator and former Celtics player and head coach Tommy Heinsohn labeled Pierce the “best pure scorer in Celtics history.”

Pierce cemented his status as a Celtics legend. (Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

                The undisputed greatest player in the short history of TD Garden—which opened in 1995—Pierce must say goodbye to the arena where he produced countless memories for Celtics fans. While the original New York Yankees Stadium is “The House (Babe) Ruth Built,” TD Garden should always be known as “The House Truth Built.”

                After Pierce is finished playing in his final game on the parquet floor, he must quickly redirect his focus to the Patriots.

              “Pierce is the biggest Tom Brady fan and Patriots fan in the world," Ainge said, "so I know that he’ll have other things on his mind in his last game at the Garden, that’s for sure.”

                Boston fans can relate with The Truth in that regard.

New England Patriots' Road Dominance Defines Triumphant 2016 Regular Season

            In another season in which New England (14-2) captured the AFC’s No. 1 seed and dominated its conference—posting an 11-1 mark versus AFC opponents—the most impressive part of the Patriots’ 2016 campaign was their road perfection.

            Finishing the season with an impeccable 8-0 mark away from Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots are just the seventh team in NFL history to win all eight road contests. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick accomplished this feat in 2007 in the Patriots’ flawless 16-0 regular season. The San Francisco 49ers went undefeated on the road in 1984, 1989 and 1990, dido for the St. Louis Rams in 1999 and the Dallas Cowboys in 2014.

            Of the aforementioned teams (not including New England's current team) to go 8-0 in away contests in the regular season, only the 2014 Cowboys failed to reach the Super Bowl. The Rams won it all in 1999, while the 49ers captured Lombardi trophies in 1984 and 1989—but came up short in the Super Bowl following the 1990 season, just as the 2007 Patriots did.

            Much of the talk surrounding the Patriots in recent weeks has been about capturing home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. Last season, the Patriots lost in Week 16 (at New York Jets) and 17 (at Miami Dolphins) and, as a result, surrendered the conference’s top seed to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos.

            In the eyes of many Patriots fans, Brady and Co. would have defeated the Broncos had the AFC title game been played in Foxborough. The notion of New England beating Denver if the AFC Championship was played in a different venue is, of course, nothing more than (pointless) speculation. But there is no denying the Patriots made their path to the Super Bowl a lot harder by botching the chance to grab the conference's top seed a year ago—in part due to their decision to rest some of their starters in the season-finale.

            The Patriots' quest for their fifth championship should (theoretically) be less challenging this postseason, given that the AFC's path to Super Bowl LI runs through New England. The Patriots secured home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with their 35-14 victory over the Dolphins on Sunday, spearheaded by a three-touchdown performance from Brady.

            New England jumped out to a 20-0 lead, and at that point had advantages of 238-to-30 in yards, and 17-to-zero in first downs. Miami scored consecutive touchdowns to cut the deficit to 20-14, before Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman caught a short pass and broke free for a 77-yard TD. Wideout Michael Floyd, playing in his second game for the Patriots, had a crumpling block on the play that paved a clear road for Edelman to the end zone.

Julian Edelman's 77-yard TD catch-and-run helped New England defeat Miami for the second time this season, completing its first season-sweep of its division rivals since 2012. (AP Image)

            Floyd had added a 14-yard score of his own earlier in the contest, which then gave the Patriots a 14-0 lead. Floyd finished with three receptions on four targets for 36 yards and a TD, second in the team in receiving to Edelman, who caught eight passes for 151 yards and a score.

            Brady lauded Floyd’s effort in his postgame interview, noting the challenge it takes to join a team this late in the season.

            “To come in at this point is very tough,” Brady said. “There’s not really the time to make the mistakes any more. But he’s a veteran, he has played for a long time.”

            On a day in which Brady completed 25 of his 33 passes for 276 yards without a single turnover, he savored winning the regular-season finale against a Dolphins team that he is just 7-8 against in contests played in Miami.

            “This has always been a challenging place for us, for one reason or another,” Brady said. “But we just found a way to beat a good football team.”

            Brady—who went 11-1 as a starter this season following his four-game suspension resulting from the DeflateGate saga and set a new record for touchdown-to-interception ratio by throwing 28 TDs with just two picks—said he is “most proud” of his team’s road supremacy.

            Visiting teams went just 107-147 (.405) this season, adding credence to Brady’s gratification of his team’s unblemished road mark.

Dolphins' Loss Clinches AFC East Title for Patriots

The New England Patriots (11-2) won their seventh consecutive AFC East title, thanks to the Miami Dolphins' 31-24 loss to the New York Giants on Monday night. 

Since Tom Brady became the starter in 2001 under head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have captured 13 division titles in a 15-year span. The two exceptions came in 2002—when the defending champions went 9-7 and missed the playoffs—and 2008—the season Brady suffered a season-ending ACL tear. The Patriots finished 11-5 behind backup Matt Cassel, but failed to qualify for the postseason.

The dark days of the franchise are long over for the Patriots, who won just five division championships in the team's first 51 seasons (1960-2000). 

The NFL's most prolific franchise of the 21st century, the Patriots have dominated division opponents—posting a 71-19 record in the regular-season against AFC East teams since the start of the 2001 season.

Brady was proud to learn that his team had been crowned the AFC East champions yet again.

"I didn't know until this morning," Brady said. "That's pretty cool. It is a great achievement for our team. I didn't know that was possible last night or else I probably would have stayed up and watched a little bit longer. Obviously there was some tie-breaker that we came up with or something. That's great. That's what you start with, winning your division. We talk about that every year. We've done a good job in our division thus far, being 4-0. We'll have a chance the last two weeks of the year to finish strong, after this Titan game."

Tom Brady Accepts Blame for Patriots' Loss: 'About as bad as you can do for a QB'

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady did not mince words when asked about his performance in his team's shocking 35-28 loss to the visiting Philadelphia Eagles. The future Hall of Famer threw two interceptions in the defeat, one of which was returned 99 yards for a touchdown by the Eagles' Malcolm Jenkins.

“The first interception was bad quarterbacking,” Brady said. “The team trusts you to put the ball in your hands and make good decisions with it, and that was a terrible decision. So it’s unfortunate because those cost you the game, and I’ve got to do a better job.” 

It was a rough afternoon for Tom Brady, who threw two picks in New England's second straight loss. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

With the score knotted at 14 and 7:42 remaining in the third quarter, Brady tried to force a pass to receiver Danny Amendola at the goal line on third-and-5 that Jenkins returned to the house.

“It was just a dumb play,” Brady said of his pick-six pass. “There was really not much chance of a completion, so I should’ve just probably thrown it out of the back of the end zone or found someone else to throw it to. We would’ve kicked three points...That's about as bad as you can do for a quarterback."

Brady threw another interception later in the quarter. He completed just 29-of-56 passes with a season-low 71.4 passer rating.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick claimed the Patriots did not executive properly in any phases of the game, including defense and special teams.

“Just overall, we obviously didn’t do anything well enough (Sunday),” Belichick said. “Didn’t do enough on offense, turned the ball over, gave up two third-down touchdowns on defense, didn’t play well in the kicking game. Just really didn’t do anything well enough to really win.”

The second consecutive loss for the Patriots (10-2) dropped them to the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff picture as the Denver Broncos (10-2) moved into the No. 2 seed. The Cincinnati Bengals (10-2) vaulted to the conference's top seed. 

Report: Reggie Wayne Took Physical with Patriots

             The New York England Patriots are contemplating signing wide receiver Reggie Wayne. The six-time Pro Bowler flew to New England on Saturday night and took a physical with the Patriots on Sunday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 
               Wayne has spent his entire 14-year NFL career as a member of the Indianapolis Colts. He leads all active receivers in career receptions (1,070) and receiving yards (14,345). Wayne, set to turn 37 in mid-November, played like a shell of his former self in 2014, catching 64 passes for 779 yards with two touchdowns in 15 games. 

Reggie Wayne could be teaming up with Tom Brady in New England this season. (Thomas J. Russo/USA Today Sports)

            The move makes sense for New England, which has been decimated by injuries this preseason. Julian Edelman has been out since Aug. 2 with a leg injury and Brandon LaFell has spent the entire camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Brian Tyms' season is in doubt after injuring his foot on Wednesday, and Brandon Gibson's status is unknown after sustaining a knee injury in the Patriots' 26-24 win over the New Orleans Saints on Saturday night.
            Devoid of a deep passing threat, Wayne might be just what the doctor ordered, despite his decreasing speed and production. He has stated his desire to play one final season in the NFL and the defending champion Patriots could offer him a storybook ending. Wayne, who won the Super Bowl with the Colts following the 2006 season, would give quarterback Tom Brady a veteran reinforcement at wideout. 
             Before New England and Indianapolis played last November, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick called Wayne “one of the best route runners maybe ever in the game.”

“He’s obviously just a tremendous wide receiver,” Belichick said. “A guy that’s extremely smart, very savvy wide receiver. Understands leverage, understands coverage, can read post-snap coverage disguises, has great hands. He’s really a very dependable and reliable guy. Obviously the bigger the situation, the more you would depend on him to be able to make the play.”

             If nothing else, adding Wayne would spice up New England's boiling rivalry with the Colts, who prompted the ceaseless Deflategate saga that began in January's AFC Championship.  The Patriots play the Colts on Oct. 18 in what would be Brady's first game of the season if his suspension holds.