'Phins need coverage to disrupt Pats' rhythm

The Miami Dolphins got three sacks on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady when he visited Sun Life Stadium last season. Dolphins coach Tony Sparano would probably be just fine with his defense repeating that number Monday night.

Thursday, Sparano talked about how difficult it is for defenses to get to Brady, and of course, he gave some credit to the Patriots’ offensive line. But Sparano explained that New England’s offensive system as a whole — from its formations to Brady’s tendencies — is what keeps him upright.

“They’re open in formation, meaning they’ll be in empty, but he gets the ball and gets it out so fast. He’s got a quick release, and their whole thing is built on rhythm and timing and him getting it out fast,” Sparano said. “So those guys (the offensive line) don’t have to hold up very long at times, but they do a nice job in there.”

Despite the sacks, Brady’s completion percentage of 79.2 at Sun Life Stadium last year was higher than his percentage at any other stadium in 2010.

Miami has a solid cornerback duo in Vonte Davis and Sean Smith, though New England has three wideouts in Chad Ochocinco, Wes Welker and Deion Branch who are all capable of doing damage. New England also has two big tight ends with good hands in Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

Getting all of those players covered, which could require a lot of man-to-man with bigger secondary packages, will be crucial in the Dolphins’ defensive front getting pressure on Brady. Over the last few years, defenses seem to be more effective in disrupting the Patriots' rhythm with solid pass coverage rather than sending big blitzes, which was very evident in the New York Jets' divisional round playoff victory over the Patriots last winter.

“That part of it is what’s rough, Sparano said. “You’ve got to get him to hold the football long enough to make him feel uncomfortable.”

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Ranking AFC East RB tandems entering '11

1 - New York Jets: LaDainian Tomlinson silenced all the critics last year after a disappointing 2009 season with the Chargers, where many thought his best years were behind him. Tomlinson rushed for 914 yards and put up his best yards-per-carry numbers (4.2) since ‘07. The 32-year-old officially handed over the reins to third-year back Shonn Greene this season, though Tomlinson will be very involved in third-down situations and passing downs.

Greene rushed for 766 yards on only 185 attempts in 2010, but hasn’t really stepped into a true No. 1 role since his time at Iowa. However, Greene has proven himself in the big moments, averaging 6.5 yards a carry in the playoffs. He has three postseason touchdowns, two of which were fourth-quarter game sealers. With a solid run-blocking offensive line and Greene’s hard-nosed, between-the-tackles style, the Jets should be the consistent ground-and-pound team Ryan is looking for all year.

2 - Buffalo Bills: Buffalo comes into this season with a lot of question marks, and one of those is C.J. Spiller. Despite the players’ and coaches’ confidence in the second-year back, Spiller has a lot to prove this year after a not-so-impressive rookie year that saw him snag only 283 yards on 74 attempts. Yes, some of that has to do with a mediocre O-line, but Spiller was prone to rookie mistakes last year as well, looking for the home run instead of taking the two or three yards given. Spiller’s role has already been up’ed this preseason, and expect to see him used much more this year.

That aside, the coaching staff has it made quite clear after some preseason debate that Fred Jackson will be the No. 1 out of the backfield. Jackson did see his numbers drop slightly last year, along with his attempts. But Jackson has averaged more than four yards per carry every year since his debut, and he is primed -- now that the depth-chart debate is over -- to have a productive year. Great things could come from this tandem this year, perhaps more impressive than the Jets duo. It all lies on the shoulders of the offensive line and their ability to keep defenders out of the backfield.

3 - New England Patriots: Yes, BenJarvus Green-Ellis was the only AFC East back to break 1,000 yards last year. Yes, Danny Woodhead averaged more than five yards a touch. Yes, the always-solid offensive line returns mostly the same from 2010. But the Pats drafted two running backs this year in Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, and there’s that other little factor named Tom Brady.

With such a well-rounded, spread-out offense that saw two tight ends combine for nearly 90 receptions and 16 touchdowns and added Chad Ochocinco to the wideout corps this offseason, it’s hard to say how much of a factor the running game will be. The 1,008 yards Green-Ellis put up last year was the most New England has seen from a back since Corey Dillon in 2004. Expect the run game to be what it usually is for the Pats: good enough to allow Tom Brady to do what he does.

4 - The Miami Dolphins: It seems like everyone in the league is betting against Reggie Bush, except of course, the Dolphins. Miami’s decision to start Bush as their premier back is a risky one, especially since he’s only gone without injury for a full season only once in his career. Even more curious is the quick departure of Larry Johnson, who in most fans’ eyes seemed to be decent insurance policy for the injury-prone Bush.

The ’Phins will now look to rookie Daniel Thomas for assistance if that issue arises, with 27-year-old Lex Hilliard rounding out the crew. Coach Sparano voiced his opinion on Bush’s history of injuries to the Miami media early in the week, saying, “I’m really not concerned one way or the other about that at this particular time, I’m just concerned with finding ways to get the guy the ball. He’s going to be the first runner out of the gate and we’re going to figure out ways to get him the ball.”

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Patriots expect rookie RBs to be ready to go

Vereen (Photo: John Martinez Pavliga)

The New England Patriots took two running backs early in the 2011 draft, and the Patriots expect them to contribute this season. How much? Who knows. And no one expects to get an answer until kickoff Monday night.

The Patriots took California’s Shane Vereen in the second round (56th overall) and LSU’s Stevan Ridley in the third round (73rd overall). Both players are obviously behind BenJarvis Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead on the depth chart, though we won’t be surprised if both see a fair amount of action this year, as Patriots coach Bill Belichick seems to have a role for everyone.

“The expectation is the same for each player at every position,” Patriots Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio told the media Tuesday via conference call. “We tell every player to be ready to play, including the players on the practice squad because there's a possibility that they can be elevated to play on Sunday or Monday – whenever the game is. So the expectation is the same for each player: that they prepare, they come in, they study the opponent, they know the personnel that they're playing against and they prepare themselves to play as if they're going to play the entire game. And however much they end up playing, that's dictated based on how the game sort of plays out. So the expectation for that (running back) position is no different than it is for any other position."

That’s a typical long-winded, say-nothing Patriots answer, though it seems like the New England staff has been pleased with what it’s seen out of the two rookie backs.

Ridley got the heavier load of work in preseason and took advantage. He picked up 148 yards on 30 carries, averaging 4.9 yards a clip with two touchdowns. Vereen had just 11 carries for 34 yards.

“As with every rookie in the league, it's always a difficult beginning,” offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said. “When you go into your first game there are some things that you're not going to be used to and that you're going to have to get used to early. I believe that both [Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley] along with that whole position has had a very consistent, good camp for us. They'll be ready to go.”

Vereen, who measures in at 5-9, 205 points, amassed 29 rushing touchdowns and six receiving touchdowns in 38 games with the Golden Bears. The 5-11, 225-pound Ridley scored 19 times on the ground in 39 games for LSU.

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Dolphins preparing for Patriots' big guys

Wilfork (Photo: Keith Allison)

The Monday Night Football opener will highlight the AFC East. Two New England Patriots look to make some highlights of their own.

Patriot defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and newly-acquired Albert Haynesworth will square off against an unproven Miami Dolphins offensive line. The two big men, to put it lightly (660 pounds combined), will give Dolphins’ rookie offensive lineman Mike Pouncey a crash course in NFL trench warefare and should have quarterback Chad Henne looking for dump-off passes to Reggie Bush.

“Two great athletes,” Bush told the media Monday. “Two monstrous guys in the middle who do a good job of stopping the run and putting some pressure on the quarterback and pushing that pocket.”

The 6-foot-2, 325-pound Wilfork totaled 57 tackles and two sacks last season with both quarterback takedowns coming against the Dolphins.

Haynesworth, who stands 6-6, 335 pounds, recorded two and a half sacks in eight games with the Redskins last year. He had one sack the last time he faced Miami, when he was with the Tennessee Titans in 2006.

“We’re very well aware of what they bring to the table,"Bush said. "So we have to do our best here at practice day in and day out preparing ourselves, mentally and physically, to play a fundamentally sound game.”

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Look Back: Bills gave up fewest penalty yards on D in 2010, Jets saw fewest flags

The Buffalo Bills gave up too many yards on defense last year. But they did it in such disciplined style.

Buffalo gave up the fewest yards to the yellow flag in the 2010 NFL. The Bills’ 634 penalty yards against the defense ranked tops in the league. So there’s something.

In fact, the entire division fared very well in that regard. The New York Jets’ 74 penalties on defense were the fewest in the league. The New England Patriots were fourth best in penalty discipline with 84 flags. The Bills and Miami Dolphins were fifth with 85 flags.

The Patriots, however, had the most-penalized defense this preseason with 36 flags. The Jets were punished with the fewest penalty yards (117) by a landslide. Next were the Atlanta Falcons with 162.

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Surprise of Meriweather cut not surprising

Like every team around the NFL last weekend, the New England Patriots had to make some big decisions to get their roster down to the required 53 players by Saturday evening.

There were a handful of unexpected releases around the league, and among the most startling may have been the release of two-time Pro Bowl safety Brandon Meriweather by the Patriots, who remain in need of help at the safety position.

Meriweather

A former first-round draft pick in 2007 (No. 24 overall, University of Miami), Meriweather’s release was somewhat foreshadowed by those around him (while he seemed to be caught off guard by even the remote possibility of his release) after Meriweather played the entire fourth quarter in New England’s third and final preseason game against the New York Giants on Sept. 1. Meriweather was even asked if he was “happy” with his “situation” with the team following the game, and flawlessly (and, I’m assuming, unknowingly), his rebuttal was typical Bill Belichick-robot jargon insinuating he believed he was going nowhere and his coaches were doing great.

Less than two days later, Meriweather was no longer a New England Patriot. He has since signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears.

Meriweather was one of the final 15 Patriots to be released just before the league deadline. Among other surprises were 12-year veteran (and AFC East journeyman) Sammy Morris, who led all Patriot rushers with 727 rushing yards and a career-high seven touchdowns in 2008, as well as third-year wide receiver and special teams returner Brandon Tate (No. 83 overall in 2009), who contributed in every game last year.

It’s hard to question anything Belichick and the Patriots’ front office do in terms of team moves, but there have certainly been instances when so many of us — myself included — have asked ourselves, “Just what the hell is going on right now?”

I had that kind of reaction when the Patriots traded away Randy Moss last year, the wide receiver who hauled in just shy of 100 catches and scored 23 touchdowns during the Patriots’ record-breaking 2007 season. I also had a similar reaction when New England dealt veteran defensive lineman and five-time Pro Bowler Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders in 2009. And, too, when they traded linebacker and leader Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs a couple seasons ago. And even back in the late 90s, when five-time Pro Bowl running back Curtis Martin left New England for New York and the Jets (albeit before Belichick’s reign began). These types of moves are not uncommon for New England.

There’s something positive to be said about these moves, though.

It’s no coincidence that since the first of those controversial transactions I just mentioned took place (Martin to Jets), the Patriots have consistently been a force to be reckoned with — not just in the AFC East, but throughout the NFL.

The move that probably did the most damage to the Patriots’ immediate future was letting Martin go to a division rival, a move that may have cost then-coach Pete Carroll his job with the Pats. Martin was one of only two running backs to gain more than 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first 10 seasons. The only other? Barry Sanders.

The questionable Martin move — which was sparked by Jets and former Patriots coach Bill Parcells offering him a contract as a restricted free agent that New England wouldn’t match — may have also opened the door for the Patriots’ dynastic future of the early 2000s, which included three Super Bowls in four years and the emergence of one of the most prolific quarterbacks of the young 21st century.

The “preseason” team-molding is still far from done for the Patriots, though. With the first game of the 2011 season just days away (2009 Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints at 2010 Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, Thursday at 8:30 p.m. EDT, NBC), the Patriots are certainly shopping around for a veteran safety who can pick up the slack left in Meriweather’s absence, but also achieve things Belichick & Co. thought he couldn’t.

Belichick told the media on Sept. 2, the day before Meriweather’s official release, that Meriweather had been working hard throughout training camp and the preseason, but hinted at one of his weaknesses being his man-to-man coverage. He also said that Meriweather’s man-to-man had improved this season. Meriweather’s man-to-man coverage over the years has undoubtedly shown some blemishes over the past couple seasons, though, too.

“It’s the worst part of the job,” Belichick said regarding annual cuts on the conference call on Friday, just a day before the deadline. “It doesn’t really get any easier.”

He’s not lying. Finding a solid, veteran safety to fill a spot that has been held down by Meriweather since he was drafted will not be simple. And needing to find that player in less than a week doesn’t make it any easier.

But we’ve seen crazier things accomplished by the Pats in the past. At this point, nothing will be surprising.

Players released by the Patriots prior to the Sept. 4 deadline:

DL Landon Cohen, LB Niko Koutouvides, S Brandon Meriweather, DE Eric Moore, RB Sammy Morris, WR Brandon Tate, WR Tiquan Underwood, OL Thomas Austin, RB Eric Kettani, DB Ross Ventrone, LB Markell Carter, DL Aaron Lavarias, DE Alex Silvestro, TE Lee Smith, TE Will Yeatman, LB Ricky Brown, OL Jonathan Compas, DL Darryl Richard, TE Carson Butler, WR Buddy Farnham, OL Mike Berry, RB Richard Medlin andOL Corey Woods.

In addition, DL Ron Brace, DL Brandon Deaderick RB Kevin Faulk were placed on the reserve physically unable to perform list and 2011 fifth-round draft pick Marcus Cannon was placed on the reserve non-football injury list. OL Rich Ohrnberger was placed on injured reserve.

Other big-name moves around the league as of late Sunday night:

RB Chester Taylor by Chicago Bears, signed one-year contract with Arizona Cardinals; two-time Pro Bowl RB Larry Johnson cut by Miami Dolphins, yet to sign anywhere; WR Donnie Avery by the St. Louis Rams, yet to sign anywhere.

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Patriots sign offensive guard Brian Waters

The New England Patriots shored up the interior of their offensive line Sunday with the signing of veteran guard Brian Waters, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs.

(Photo: Jeffrey Beall)

Waters, who was named to five Pro Bowls in 11 seasons with the Chiefs, fills a big void on New England’s front trench unit with Dan Connolly, Ryan Wendell and Rich Ohrnberger injured.

Waters helped the Chiefs’ offensive line interior to a 73 percent success rate on short-yardage situations on third or fourth down, as well as -and-goal situations, which was tied for seventh-best in the league. The Patriots were also successful on short-yardage, must have runs 73 percent of the time.

At 34 years old, Waters will probably have an immediate chance to prove he’s still got it, as he looks to be the Patriots’ best option at guard opposite Logan Mankins. With Mankins at left guard, Waters will need to play on the right side.

With the signing, New England released long-time New York Jet James Dearth and Steve Maneri.

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