AGRI Biz

The New England Patriots have been remarkably quiet in an offseason that has featured numerous blockbuster trades and free agent signings. It has been somewhat maddening, as a Patriots fan, hearing about the latest personnel moves throughout the NFL, and especially in the AFC East. Take receiver, a position the Pats currently have a need in, for example. The Jets have picked up former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes for (virtually) nothing in ...

With the season long gone, free agency in full swing, and the draft coming up quickly, it makes sense to examine the needs of the Patriots. Last year's defensive unit was defined—fairly or unfairly—by some notable failures: the late-game collapses against the Colts, Broncos, and Texans, and the no-show against the Saints. It's easy to forget that—statistically, at least—this unit was decent. It scored in the middle of the pack in terms ...

With the season long gone and free agency and the draft coming up quickly, it makes sense to examine the needs of the Patriots. This team was exposed as quite flawed as the 2009 season progressed, and filling its numerous needs is a daunting task indeed.á However, should things go well this offseason, the Patriots could position themselves for a solid run at the Lombardi. To this effect, each unit of this ...

The upcoming few years for the NFL have the potential to be incredibly bad. With the owners having opted out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the league faces labor strife in the long term and a great deal of confusion in the near term. Unless the league strikes a last-minute deal with the union before its new year starts in early March (a prospect that is looking more and more unlikely), the ...

This is part two of a decade retrospective. Part one is here. Looking back, it's hard to appreciate just how absurd the 2001 Super Bowláchampionship Patriots season was. This was a team that had gone nowhere in 2000 and looked to be going nowhere once again. The Pats had made moves, to be sure, but they were all veterans on the downside of their careers (Bryan Cox, Otis Smith, Roman Phifer), players ...

It's hard to remember now, but before the Super Bowls, before the undefeated regular season, before the ascendancy of Bill Belichick and the dominance of an unknown named Tom Brady, the New England Patriots were the laughingstock of the league. The Patriots began their life in the American Football League and were odd even for a new league. Their owner, Billy Sullivan, had essentially bluffed his way into "The Foolish Club", ...

Let me begin by stating the obvious: the loss of Wes Welker to injury is an incredible blow to the Patriots. He and Tom Brady had a connection like few other QB-WR tandems in the history of the league. They always seemed in concert, and Welker was able to get open nearly at will. Welker, in fact, made up for a ridiculously large percentage of this team's offensive output. Now, after one catastrophic ...

Some prominent sports journalists, including the Boston Globe's Chris Gasper, have suggested that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady sit out Sunday's game against the Houston Texans. Have they lost their minds? Let's look at the facts here. The Pats have just put together their first complete game in a month, a game in which all facets of the team finally seemed to gel. The game against the Jaguars showcased the team this ...

Dear Santa, As Bill Belichick and staff are currently preparing for the Buffalo Bills, it falls to me to send you their annual Christmas wish list. As you know, things haven't quite gone that well this year, but these gifts would really bolster the spirits of a disheartened team. (As a reminder: thanks to the magic of video surveillance, Coach Belichick knows when you're sleeping, awake and violating elf labor laws. Capisce?) 1. ...

I don't think I've ever seen a team demolished like that. There's really no other word to describe it. The Saints took every part of this Patriots team and smashed it to the ground. The defensive backs couldn't cover anybody. The defensive line couldn't generate pressure on Drew Brees. The linebackers couldn't stop the Saints' running backs. The offensive line couldn't protect. The receivers couldn't get open. The running backs couldn't gain consistent, ...