10 Patriots Storylines To Follow Throughout 2015 Season
BOSTON (CBS) -- Let's just talk football, OK?
And not the deflated kind. We've had almost eight months of that here in New England, and on the day the 2015 NFL season starts, there's no need for more. We didn't really need a rehash of that other "Gate" from seven years ago either, but thanks to ESPN for that quick reminder -- and the new eruption of vitriol throughout the country aimed directly at Gillette Stadium.
Read: Pats-Steelers What To Watch For
No, today is about the actual game, which despite the NFL's ever-growing list of deficiencies and shortcomings, we still turn out to watch every week. Tonight, all eyes will be on Foxboro, as the Patriots kick off the 2015 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
They also have a banner to raise, which should help us all forget about some of the last seven months of Law & Order: PSI Investigation, and also put last year's incredible run in the rear-view mirror.
Read: Patriots-Steelers Preview
The 2015 Patriots are still one of the top teams in the AFC, though with some roster turnover in key areas, they are no sure thing to be raising another Lombardi Trophy come February. But it's a long season, and a championship team is not made in the first month, as we all saw last season. Here are 10 storylines we'll be paying close attention to throughout the upcoming campaign, and none of them include espionage or small bursts of air.
One Motivated Quarterback
Tom Brady had a pretty rough summer for a defending Super Bowl MVP, with his public perception taking a massive hit from DeflateGate. Brady has plenty to say about the situation, but he's keeping that to himself at the moment.
Instead, he'll be taking his frustration out every week against New England's scheduled opponent, letting his play on the field do the talking. Brady's legacy has come into question, and he's going to be very motivated to show everyone it doesn't matter how inflated (or under-inflated) a football is for him to succeed.
Chances are we won't see the epic numbers from the 2007 season (when Spygate was born and put another chip on Brady's shoulder), but even at 38 Brady is still among the best passers in the game, and now he's pretty pissed.
Look out, NFL. Don't say we didn't warn you.
Tight End Duo
One reason Brady should still be able to put up some big numbers is Rob Gronkowski. He's healthy, and when Gronk's healthy, he's a freak on the football field.
And once again, he has a running mate.
The Patriots signed veteran tight end Scott Chandler to add some more punch on their depth chart. Chandler should be able to draw some red zone coverage away from Gronkowski, and when Gronk has a pair (or handful) of defenders draped all over him, Chandler is a solid red zone target himself.
New England got by with just 29 receptions from tight ends not named Gronkowski last season (26 by Tim Wright, three by Michael Hoomanawanui), but with Chandler now in the mix, who had 100 receptions and six touchdowns over his last two seasons in Buffalo, Brady will have another big body to target inside the 20.
The Gronk-Chandler duo is going to be a fun one to watch this season. Hopefully Gronk is ready to surrender some of those touchdowns to his new teammate, and possibly a few of those celebratory spikes.
Enough At Wide Receiver?
While the depth at tight end is looking good, there are several question marks at receiver. Julian Edelman should be ready to go come Thursday night, but the wear and tear of his six NFL seasons could catch up to the 5-11 receiver at any time (good thing he has a career in viral videos when his NFL days are over), so despite his guaranteed production when he's on the field, his health remains a concern.
The biggest question mark is around the injured Brandon LaFell, who won't be suiting up until Week 6 at the earliest. The chemistry between Brady and LaFell grew as last season progressed and looked even stronger throughout the playoffs, and 6-foot-3 LaFell gives Brady a receiver who can stretch the field a bit. Not having him early on will put more pressure on a guy like Aaron Dobson, who hasn't done much in his first two years in the league but may have to step up and become a key part of the offense in the first several weeks.
Brady did just fine with Edelman, LaFell and Danny Amendola as his top receivers last season, in large part thanks to Gronkowski's super human abilities. But both Edelman and LaFell are still feeling the leftover effects from last season's Super Bowl run, and while Amendola was healthy all last season, it still feels like he's a crushing hit away from being done for the year.
The depth chart at receiver took a big hit when Brandon Gibson was lost for 2015 during the preseason, and then with Reggie Wayne deciding New England wasn't fun enough for him, so it will be up to Edelman and Amendola to carry the load until LaFell can return. Even then, we are still left wondering if that will be enough at receiver?
Who Runs The Rock?
Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley are now on New York teams, so the Patriots will turn to LeGarrette Blount as their star running back. And when he sits out Week 1 due to a suspension, the Patriots are looking at a backfield made up of three pass-catching backs, and one pass-catching back in the making.
James White and Dion Lewis battled it out during the preseason to assume the Vereen role in the offense, and both players were impressive out of the backfield. They both showed off the ability to break a big run and make some nice catches, filling that void that was left when Vereen went to the Giants. The 5-foot-8 Lewis also showed off some solid blocking, which is always key for a pass-catching back in New England.
If those two can't get the job done there's Travaris Cadet, who didn't play in the preseason due to injury but did enough during practice to earn a roster spot.
Following the release of Jonas Gray, the only back the Patriots have who somewhat resembles what Blount can do is the 220-pound Brandon Bolden, but even he is taking a more pass-catching approach this season. Bolden also contributes on special teams, which made him more valuable to Belichick than Gray.
Blount will be the "feature back" when he returns in Week 2, but expect a steady stable of the quartet of pass-catching backs throughout the season.
Is Butler A No. 1 Corner?
Moving over to the defense, the biggest departures of the offseason came at the corner position with both Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner now in different uniforms. Kyle Arrington was also let go, meaning New England's top three corners for 2015 will be different from the ones who started all of 2014.
We all saw Butler make his game-saving interception at the end of Super Bowl XLIX (and likely watched it a few hundred times trying to drown out the DeflateGate noise), and it was an incredible play by someone who knew exactly where he should be at that moment. But a big part of that play was Browner setting a pick and Revis lining up on the other side of the field, a luxury Butler won't have anymore.
He has said all the right things since February and more times than not, looked like a true No. 1 corner for New England throughout camp and the preseason. One attribute a good cornerback has to possess is a short memory, and Butler showed that off during the preseason when he admitted he had a horrible joint practice with the Saints, only to put it behind him and follow it up with a much better practice session the following day.
Butler is going to get burned this year, which is life as a corner in this new pass-happy NFL. If he can learn from those plays and move on, remaining focused on what's next, it'll be a big step in the right direction towards becoming a true No. 1 corner.
And Is Anyone Else A No. 2?
After Butler, the Patriots will trot out veterans Tarell Brown and Bradley Fletcher. Remember those "Bend, Don't Break" days of a few years ago?
Brown, an eight-year veteran of the league, comes to New England after one season in Oakland. He hasn't picked off a pass in almost three years, but played well at the end of the preseason to earn his starting gig. Fletcher comes over from Philadelphia, where he was the whipping boy for Eagles fans for much of last season, looking for a fresh start.
This collection of corners brings back memories of the dark ages, before Aqib Talib arrived in November 2012 and guys like Darius Butler, Antwan Molden and Sterling Moore were tasked with defending passes (lest we forget, the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl with Molden and Moore in the secondary, along with Edelman at safety). The Patriots are going to give up a lot of yards and they are probably going to give up a good amount of points to the better teams in the league thanks to their deficiencies in the secondary. Luckily, the stable of quarterbacks the Patriots will face this season are nowhere near as good as their 2014 foes.
But there should be some help elsewhere on the field that will make the corner's lives a little easier.
Pass-Rush In Focus
With the secondary a great unknown, the Patriots have placed a much bigger focus on putting pressure on the opposing quarterback. With the group they've put together, they should have quite a bit of success dirtying up the QB's uniform every week.
Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich are back to wreak move havoc along the line, and second-year tackle Dominique Easley can be just as disruptive if healthy (which it appears he is).
But one player who could turn into an offseason steal is Jabaal Sheard, who had 23 sacks in his first four seasons in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. Those sack numbers took a dip over the last two years, with just two in 2014, but Sheard showed his disruptive side during the preseason. he should be much-welcomed addition to a defensive line that can already make life difficult for an opposing offense.
If the line can put more pressure on the quarterbacks, taking away valuable seconds in the pocket, the deficiencies in the secondary won't be as glaring.
Mayo Returns
Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower are both monsters on the defense, and give New England one of the best duos of linebackers in the NFL.
But not to be forgotten is seven-year veteran Jerod Mayo, who had a knack for leading the league in tackles his first few years in the league. Now, at the age of 29, Mayo is coming off his second straight injury-shortened season, this time from a torn patella tendon he suffered last October.
There is plenty of motivation for Mayo to come back strong, and most of it has to do with the fact the next two years of his contract are option years. He has a chip on his shoulder to prove he can play a full season, and his return should make a solid linebacking group even stronger.
The Rookies
The Pats added some youth along the defensive line, going with a defensive tackle for the second straight year in the first round of the NFL draft. This year they had a purpose, with Malcom Brown a part of the equation they hope will make up for the departure of Vince Wilfork. Brown will be part of the rotation of interior linemen (with Sealver Siliga and Alan Branch) charged with clogging holes up the middle, but he'll have to earn his playing time early one.
Third-round pick Geneo Grissom and fourth-rounder Trey Flowers can also make some noise on the defensive line, and both will likely be staples on special teams. Linebacker Rufus Johnson, who was drafted by the Saints in 2014 but released before the season, could also fill a hole down the road after a very strong preseason.
There are also a few young bodies to keep an eye on over on the offensive side in Tre Jackson and Shaq Mason, both fourth-round picks. Jackson could see some early action at right guard, while Mason will need some work as a pass-protector, but he too will be called upon to provide some depth at left guard. We may see undrafted center David Andrews sooner than anyone expected (if you expected that at all) with Bryan Stork likely out Thursday night, either getting the start at center or spelling Ryan Wendell, who could move over from right guard.
Undrafted rookie Chris Harper had an impressive training camp and preseason, and made the 53-man roster when Reggie Wayne realized New England wasn't just lollipops and patty cake. Given the questions that surround the depth chart at receiver early in the season, Harper could be catching a number of passes the first few weeks. He can also make a difference in the return game, so you may hear a lot about Harper throughout the season.
Improved AFC East?
The AFC East hasn't been a great division over the last few years, but all six of New England's division games are usually hard-fought affairs. This year will be no different, and they may even have a little competition for the division crown this time around.
The Dolphins, Jets and Bills don't have a Hall of Fame quarterback like the Patriots, but they have all added a little extra something to improve their club. Ndamukong Suh now gets two shots at Brady each season after inking a six-year, $114-million deal with the Dolphins. Rex Ryan is now calling the shots in Buffalo, which should make an already great defense even better, and while the Jets are a mess on offense, the addition of Revis helps an already strong defensive club. All three of New England's AFC East foes will be applying a ton of pressure on Brady, making it even more important to have a steady offensive line for those six divisional games.
None of those six contests are a guaranteed win anymore, so don't expect to see the Pats high-stepping to a division win in early December. People have said for years that a stronger division will make the Patriots more battle-tested for the postseason, so now we may get to finally see if that's true.
You can catch Thursday night's Patriots-Steelers NFL season opener on 98.5 The Sports Hub -- the flagship station of the New England Patriots. Pregame coverage begins at 5:30pm with Patriots Preview, followed by three hours of postgame coverage after the game. You can also catch Patriots 5th Quarter on myTV38 following the game, the only place to watch Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's press conferences live!
