Colts insist Branch signing wasn't just for intel

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Deion Branch hasn't played a down since the New England Patriots' AFC Championship loss to the Baltimore Ravens last year.

So it's only fitting that the Indianapolis Colts signed the veteran wide receiver this week as they prepare to face the Patriots in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

"He’s a proven guy who played at a high level in this league. I don’t see how it can hurt you," Colts coach Chuck Pagano said this week, via Colts.com. "It made sense to bring him on board.

Branch sings rare tune regarding Hernandez

BY NICK ST. DENIS

By a few accounts, former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez wasn't highly regarded in the locker room. By more accounts, he was exponentially worse in everyday life.

But not by Deion Branch's account. (photo: Karen Cardoza, Flickr)

Probably not intentionally, the former Patriots receiver Branch recently made some head-turning comments about Hernandez, who was charged with murder last week and is a suspect in two other murders.

Red zone dooms Patriots in AFC Championship loss

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The New England Patriots boasted the best red zone offense in the NFL during the 2012 season. They weren't as good Sunday night.

Tom Brady's squad converted on only one of four trips inside the 20-yard line in a 28-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game.

“That’s the game," Patriots receiver Deion Branch told the media after the game, via Patriots.com. "Not only in the second half, but getting the ball in the red (zone) two other times and coming up with field goals. You’ve got to score touchdowns against that team. (photo: JDN, Flickr)

Branch is Patriots' latest plug-and-play receiver

BY NICK ST. DENIS

When you have quarterback Tom Brady at the helm, Wes Welker in the slot and Aaron Hernandez at tight end, a wide receiver carousel isn't a big deal.

The New England Patriots, who lost receiver Donte' Stallworth for the season Monday days after they signed him, picked up the other on-again-off-again Patriots receiver in Deion Branch Wednesday. (photo: Beth Hart, Flickr)

"Same thing he brought to the team before," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday, via Patriots.com, when asked about Branch's role. "With Donte’ out, he gives us a good level of experience and knows our system, has played for us and we have confidence in him."

Stallworth sees season-high, low within 24 hours

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

When asked about Donte' Stallworth's contribution to the New England Patriots' Monday night victory over the Houston Texans, coach Bill Belichick said that football is about “getting opportunities and taking advantage of them and making them count.

"Sometimes you get just a couple and you have to make those count and he sure did.” (photo: firebrandal, Flickr)

Oh, how right he was.

The Pats announced Tuesday that Stallworth was placed on the Injured Reserve list after sustaining an ankle injury on his lone catch of the 2012 season: a 63-yard touchdown pass that put the game out of reach early in third quarter.

Branch falling back into place in Patriots' offense

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The New England Patriots entered the regular season relatively thin at receiver, parting ways with a plethora of training camp wideouts in favor of a tight end-heavy offense.

But with all-purpose offensive weapon Aaron Hernandez out for a handful of weeks to injury, the Patriots needed to bolster its pass-catching corps. So in comes Deion Branch, a former Patriot Super Bowl MVP who was cut before the season, early last week.

Branch caught just two passes for 11 yards but was in on 44 plays (26 pass, 18 run) in New England's loss to Baltimore Ravens Sunday, according to ProFootballFocus.

"It’s interesting because Deion during the course of the game played multiple positions and I think his ability to do that was really a plus for us the other night," Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels told the media Tuesday.

"He made a couple adjustments in plays at the line of scrimmage, or right after the ball was snapped, that really helped our situation there. One in the two-minute situation where they blitzed the weak corner and he and Tom [Brady] were on the same page and there were two other adjustments that he made as well."

Where Winslow and Branch fit into Patriots' offense

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Multiple media outlets reported the New England Patriots added free agent tight end Kellen Winslow Tuesday. They're also bringing back receiver Deion Branch, according to the Boston Globe.

In a questionable move, the Patriots released Branch before the season. But no harm, no foul. He's back.

New England recently, or at least temporarily, promoted receiver Julian Edelman to the detriment of Wes Welker. If Edelman is lining up across Brandon Lloyd in two-receiver sets, the Patriots probably needed a guy like Branch.

Branch will help bolster a receiving corps that, while already kind of thin, was hit with an Aaron Hernandez injury last Sunday. Hernandez will be out at least "a few" weeks, according to ESPN.

That's also where Winslow comes in.

Pats have many options at WR, most fit similar mold

BY SEAN DONOVAN

New England spent last offseason stockpiling veteran free agent defensive lineman. In 2012, the Patriots are taking the same approach to building their wide receiver corps.

After Wednesday's signing of Jabar Gaffney and Thursday's release of Tiquan Underwood, the Patriots will be heading into camp with a full stable of experienced wideouts.

So far, New England has signed Gaffney, Donte' Stallworth, Brandon Lloyd and Anthony Gonzalez. With the exception of Gonzalez, all have multiple seasons of experience in Josh McDaniels' offense. Both Stallworth and Gaffney were part of New England's record breaking 2007 season under McDaniels.

They will join perennial Pro Bowler Wes Welker, former perennial Pro Bowler Chad Ochocinco, longtime Patriot Deion Branch, versatile youngsters Julian Edelman and Matthew Slater and 2012 seventh-round pick Jeremy Ebert on the roster.

Almost as surprising as the sheer number of talented players at the position is the lack of diversity between them. None of the nine wideouts are listed as taller than 6-foot-2 or heavier than 204 pounds. There are no true deep threats either, and most would fall in the category of possession slot receivers.

Pats have moves to make with aging receiver corps

Photo: Beth Hart, Flickr 

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Despite an extremely productive 2011 season, question marks still surround the future of the Patriots’ receiving corps.

Believe it or not, a scenario where Wes Welker, Deion Branch and Chad Ochocinco all do not return to New England next season is still possible, though unlikely. But with an average age of 32 between the three wideouts, New England is definitely exploring its options.

Is Belichick going soft? Nah... Well, maybe a little bit

Photo: Steve Glass, Flickr 

BY SAM HOLLINGSWORTH

There's something different about Patriots coach Bill Belichick this season.

No, not just the fact that he led the Patriots to their first playoff win in four years this season. He's also apparently been a little bit more pleasurable to be around, believe it or not.

"We work hard all year to be in the situation that we're in to play in this game," veteran defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, the only returning starter on the defense from when the Patriots played in Super Bowl XLVI, told the media Tuesday. "All year (coach has) been like that. It's been kind of a relaxing year for all of us — just not knowing how much pressure he could put on us physically.

"Everything he's asked us to do, we've responded. It's been a fun season just seeing guys come to work each day. I think he appreciates that, and I appreciate that as a teammate."

Giants' Rolle: Patriots' Branch is "best in this league"

Photo: Beth Hart, Flickr 

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX, making him the best player of that game.

Giants safety Antrel Rolle thinks Branch is currently the best in the game.

"People who prepare against him, they understand how good Deion is," Rolle told the Super Bowl media Monday. "Deion is the best in this league."

That's some heavy praise, and maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but Rolle was clearly trying to make the point that Branch has the respect of secondaries all over the NFL.

Pats using Super Bowl bye to get mentally prepared

BY SAM HOLLINGSWORTH

As a mass of New England faithful sent the Patriots off to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI around noon on Sunday, the AFC Champions prepared for their fifth Super Bowl appearance in a decade.

And, with the extra week between the conference championships and Super Bowl, most people would assume coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots are eating up the extra prep time heading into the game.

Patriots wide receiver and former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch uses the extra time a different way, though.

"That's the most important thing about this game," he told the media on Friday. "There's so much down time. The Super Bowl should be the next week (after conference championships). Now we got to wait two weeks to play this game. I think that's for you all —the fans."