NFL: Week Five News

The Patriots Way: New England is 3-1, lifted by great special teams (2 touchdowns, a blocked punt, and a blocked field goal last Monday) and a very diverse group of receivers. But they traded away Randy Moss, who I've always claimed was the closest thing to an "unstoppable" presence in the NFL, for a third- and seventh-round picks. The Patriots Way is part football strategy, part stock market speculation. In this case, Belichick dumped a commodity when its value is overrated, his competitors panic, and the coach sees a long-term/short-term benefit to maximizing other resources.

Impressive Starts: The Jets are also 3-1, and the loss was a one-point game which they might have been able to win had Dustin Keller not made an enormous route-running gaffe. Sanchez has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 8-to-0. Though I was skeptical of the team--too loud, not enough roster depth--they have handily dispatched all three of their division rivals. You also have to applaud the Kansas City Chiefs, who patiently built their team through the draft: Glenn Dorsey, Dexter McCluster, Javier Arenas, Brandon Carr, Brandon Flowers, and Eric Berry look like a strong core that should be able to compete at a high level for the next decade. Among the .500 pack that might make a run includes the Miami Dolphins and the entire NFC West.

Looking Forward to the 2011 Draft: The Buffalo Bills are in pace for the No. 1 overall spot in the draft. Chan Gailey is overmatched as an NFL head coach, though he has coaxed good performances from Ryan Fitzpatrick. Who might they take? Quarterbacks Ryan Mallett or Terrelle Pryor? Linebacker Greg Jones? Bills fans deserve better than speculating on next year's draft in early October.

NFL Draft Recap: Players Who Will Outperform Players Drafted Ahead of Them

LeBron's out of the playoffs, the MLB season is in its early pages, and , so I decided to make the unlikely decision to post on the NFL Draft, about a month after it took place. I'd prefer to talk about my Hornets landing an elite player at the top of the NBA Draft, but apparently basketball in New Orleans has received another body blow.

Jimmy Clausen, Carolina Panthers

"The Mile-High Messiah"? Try "Tebench." I've seen Tebow in about twenty games, from his first college touchdown pass against the LSU Tigers to his last, against the Cincinnati Bearcats. Forget his drunken footwork or his mediocre foot speed. When he threw the ball, it was rarely a spiral. Not only will the throwing window in the NFL become narrower, but Tebow is going to have to throw a "catchable" pass. The NFL is about precision and fundamentals, and Tebow has neither.

Clausen, on the other hand, was seen as the anti-Tebow. He was an arrogant kid, who arrived in South Bend in a stretch Hummer and announced his ambition to win four Heismans and four national championships. His personality is a big turnoff, and conjures up memories of Ryan Leaf.

But Clausen also has what it takes to win close games, which is all I ask for from a starting NFL quarterback. See 2009 Purdue, see 2009 Michigan State, see a handful of other games in which Charlie Weis's clock management doomed the Fighting Irish. When/if John Fox is fired and Bill Cowher is brought in, Clausen's potential will be a major draw.

Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots

This UF player was dominant last season, the only player that I really feared after Dan Mullins left Gainesville. He was healthier throughout his career than Rob Gronkowski (2nd round, Patriots) or Jermaine Gresham (1st round, Bengals). But after watching Tom Brady eviscerate Benjamin Watson, a former first-round pick at the position, for poor route-running, you wonder how Hernandez, who has a similar problem and ran a lot of screens and short outlet routes during his career, will mesh with Brady.

Charles Brown, New Orleans Saints

Left tackle Charles Brown was another Trojan who came into college football with so much hype that any career short of all-time greatness would be disappointing. Like Joe McKnight and Everson Griffen, Brown became a serviceable, occasionally great, college player who could become a better professional player. Brown blocked for John David Booty, Mark Sanchez, and a freshman, Matt Barkley, during his career, so I'm still not convinced that he was held back by the players around him.

Brown was drafted behind Trent Williams (1st round, Washington Redskins), who has the dubious virtue of being able to play right or left tackle, and Bryan Bulaga (1st round, Green Bay Packers), who is this year's Mystery Meat. Re: Williams, why is being able to play two positions valuable, when one position has so much more value than the other. If Williams is not playing left tackle for the Redskins in five years, he's a bust at number four overall. And, is Bulaga the next Robert Gallery?

New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints (11/30/09)

Monday night, Tom Brady brought his explosive offense into the Superdome to play the unbeaten New Orleans Saints. While watching the game, I considered how both have evolved their strategic approaches in the last three years. New England has incorporated spread concepts into their offense, and, this season, the defense New Orleans has taken on the identity of new coordinator Gregg Williams. It leads me to reflect on how and when strategic adjustments should be made.

The Saints defense has been the team's most improved area this season. Even with both starting corners out, and free agents castaways at corner, they attacked the Pats shotgun-spread. Williams is not going to wait for Mike McKenzie, Chris McAlister, and rookie Malcolm Jenkins to catch up. He's committed absolutely to his scheme. Remember that the Pats, too, have remained loyal to their scheme, since switching to it in 2007. That zealous committment seemed to catch up to them in the 2008 Super Bowl. Will we see the same for Williams's defense?

Offensively, the Saints relied on max-protect schemes (sometimes only sending two receivers into routes). With left tackle Jammal Brown out, the adjustment seemed warranted. On the other side, there's the Patriots defense. In the offseason, the Patriots adapted their defensive schemes to new personnel, chuffing aside Belicheck's effective 3-deep and 4-deep zone coverage schemes. This season, they have relied on man coverage more often and, against New Orleans, it cost them. Throughout the game, receivers broke free, sometimes against zone and sometimes against man. Commentators have blamed the youth and inexperience of the Pats backfield, but that's never stopped them before (see the long list of rookie contributors in the Pats' run to three titles). Have the off-season schematic adjustments created some uncertainty in that once reliable backfield?