5 non-PSI related Patriots thoughts

by Dakota Antelman

As roomers, comments and opinions regarding the "Deflategate" controversy in Foxboro seem to dominate football headlines this week, here is a look at a few non-deflation related Patriots thoughts and story lines...

Patriots practicing indoors

The Patriots held their first practice of the week inside the climate controlled Dana Farber Field House. With temperatures outside perched right around 35 degrees, the move could be one made in an effort to reacclimate the team to what indoor football is like. 

Next week's Super Bowl will of course be held in Glendale Arizona's University of Phoenix Stadium, a domed venue. 

Bryan Stork practicing again 

Rookie center Bryan Stork hit the field for practice on Thursday for the first time since he injured his knee during the Divisional Playoff round vs. Baltimore. According to multiple observations by members of the Patriots media present at the indoor practice, Stork wore a brace and a medical wrap around his left knee. 

Stork was still slightly hobbled by the injury but was surely well enough to be written in as being a "full participant" in the practice.

Still with over a week to go before the Super Bowl and with "Deflategate" dominating press conference topics, no comment has been made by the team about Stork's status for the big game. His participation Thursday remains a good sign nonetheless and at first glance works to remind fans of the sizable chance that he will be ready to go on February 1.

Richard Sherman commenting on Darelle Revis

Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman spoke to media personnel this week about Patriot, Darelle Revis, one of the few CBs in football who seem to challenge Sherman's self-proclaimed title of "best corner in the NFL."

While Revis openly said that he would not answer questions regarding any comparison to Sherman, Sherman responded to a comparison question Thursday saying, "I haven’t thought about that honestly, but he’s had a great year. He’s been doing his job effectively and I’ve liked what I’ve seen from his game. I’m sure people make comparisons, they always do. But I think we play the game two different ways."

He elaborated.

"He plays it more conventional is what people would say, and mine's a little more unorthodox, which means it’s just more difficult to replicate what I do on the football field. So everyone is going to make comparisons but it’s just two different styles to compare. I play my way, he plays his way, and both of them are effective."

As many have pointed out Sherman and Revis have an intense personal rivalry which predated a highly publicized Twitter feud back in 2013 over who was a superior CB. Sherman has been cordial so far in addressing the topic of Revis though while Revis has taken the absolute vow of silence.

HOWEVER...

Richard Sherman taking shots at Tom Brady

Patriot QB Tom Brady has a long list of players who hate him. Sherman apparently is one of them. 

The two famously engaged in an on field verbal scuffle after the Patriots last played the Seahawks in 2012. Sherman and Brady exchanged trash talk before Sherman ultimately took to Twitter to post the now famous taunt "U MAD BRO?" 

This week, Sherman shed light on the moment. He in fact blamed Brady for instigating the clash.

"He was pretty much saying that we were nobodies, and that we should come up to him after they get the win. So we should take that pretty well. ‘Cool, can I get your autograph too?’"He said.

Sherman then more blatantly undercut what he believes to be a facade of professionalism that Brady has created.

"Like I said before, I think people some time get a skewed view of Tom Brady," Sherman explained. "That he’s just a clean-cut [guy], does everything right, and never says a bad word to anyone, and we know him to be otherwise. But in that moment of him being himself, he said some things and we returned the favor. Unfortunately he apparently didn’t remember what he said."

Date for Super Bowl sendoff rally set 

Earlier this week, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and the City of Boston announced that a date had been set for the Patriots Super Bowl sendoff rally. 

The rally will take place next Monday at 11AM in City Hall Plaza. Walsh will be hosting the rally while Patriot owner Robert Kraft, coach Bill Belichick and players Tom Brady, Vince Wilfork, Dan Connolly, Devin McCourty and Matthew Slater are all slated to speak. 

The Patriots will depart for Glendale following the conclusion of the rally.

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Late game lapse sends Bruins into All-Star weekend on loosing note

(Photo by AP)

by Dakota Antelman

The Bruins lost their final game before the All-Star break, a matchup with the Colorado Avalanche, by virtue of something that has become a regular occurrence in the Bruins recent meetings with the Colorado; the late goal.

The Bruins allowed two goals in the last two minutes of periods Wednesday night. Ultimately, they squandered a 2-1 lead in the third period when they allowed Ryan O’Reilly to score for Colorado with the goalie pulled and 1:45 left on the game clock.

The Avalanche, invigorated by their comeback, dominated overtime and scored the only goal in the ensuing shootout, winning the game.

“We played a good 58 minutes of hockey and killed a lot of good penalties,” said Bruins defensemen, Torey Krug. “(Rask) came up big for us in some key moments. They just out-battled us at the end and they scored the only goal in the shootout that mattered.”

The Bruins out-hit the Avalanche for all three periods of the game. They held onto the puck with ease, recording 0 giveaways and were gritty in the defensive zone with 27 blocked shots.

Their goalie, Tuukka Rask played well and, for the near entirety of the first period, held the Avalanche off the board. It was not until former Bruin, Jarome Iginla, batted in a rebound with 0.4 seconds left in the period that Colorado managed to draw blood.

The Bruins responded 4:47 into the second period when David Pastrnak’s shot ricocheted to Krug who proceeded to score his ninth goal of the season.

The Bruins played “competent” hockey Wednesday night but struggled with discipline. Even as they eventually took a 2-1 lead off of Brad Marchand’s first goal since his suspension, they were called for penalties. By night’s end, seven Bruins went to the penalty box.

“I thought  we played well the first two periods. We were moving the puck well and skating well for a back-to-back games and again, those penalties took their toll on us,” said Bruins coach Claude Julien.

Julien expressed frustration at an apparent discrepancy in penalty calling. Notably, Jarome Iginla, seemed to get away with an overt trip of Brad Marchand early in the game. No penalties were called and in fact, the Avalanche were called for just three minor penalties Wednesday.

“It's too bad. It's such a close game and to have an edge on us in power-plays is unbelievable,” Julien complained. “There were some blatant missed calls out there and its' getting frustrating. Because at the end of the day, guys work hard they kill penalties, they get burnt out and run out of gas at the end. That took its toll."

Still though, the Bruins seemed displeased mainly with the fundamental issues that took place within their own team; especially on O’Reilly’s game tying goal in the third period.

“We have to look at ourselves here,” Julian said. “It's poor management. We had the puck at least three maybe four times with 27 seconds left where we could have done something much better and we didn't. That's our own fault. And at the end of the game, we need to be a little more aware of when they pull their goalie, we have to collapse a little better and we allowed a guy to come into the slot there and score.”

With the NHL’s All-Stars competing in the All-Star game this weekend in Columbus, the Bruins are off for the next week. Though a loss to Colorado stings, they can seek solace in the fact that they enter the break having taken at least a point out of 12 of their last 13 games.

“It's pretty disappointing obviously but we battled hard and we had a lot of good penalty kills there,” said Tuukka Rask. “It's too bad we got scored on in the last two minutes, but we played a good game today.”

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Bill Belichick addresses confusion, team preferences on football inflation following "Deflategate"

by Dakota Antelman

Patriots coach Bill Belichick made a prepared statement and answered media questions Thursday morning. The conference marked the first time since the escalation of the “Deflategate” controversy that Belichick had interacted with media. He revealed some  details of how the Patriots specifically inflate footballs while also expressly denying any involvement in the accused cheating.

"When I came in Monday morning, I was shocked to learn of the news about the footballs," Belichick said. "I had no knowledge whatsoever of the situation until Monday morning."

For much of this week, the cheating allegations against the Patriots have dominated both football and sports headlines as a whole. On Monday, the NFL announced that they were in the process of investigating whether or not the Patriots intentionally inflated their footballs to a pressure below the league limit of 12.5PSI.

Late Tuesday night, the story was elevated to a national one when ESPN’s Chris Mortenson published a report reveling that the NFL had found 11 of the 12 footballs used by the Patriot offence were 2PSI below the league limit.

Since then, a myriad of reports and roomers have complicated the picture. A debate has been raging in football world on whether or not the Patriots intentionally deflated the footballs. The effect that the alleged deflation had on the Patriots’ dominant 45-7 win over the Colts has also been under question.

Belichick admitted to a sense of confusion that even he felt this past week.

"I would say I've learned a lot more about this process in the last three days than I knew or had talked about in the last 40 years that I've coached in this league," he said. "I had no knowledge of the various steps involved in the game balls and the process that we went through, that happened between when they were prepared and went to the officials and went to the game. So I learned a lot about that.”

Beyond that, he addressed the argument that the balls, which were measured in a room with an estimated air temperature of 70F and then moved outside to the 20F air temperature on the field, could easily have lost air during the game.

He revealed that the Patriots walk a thin line with the inflation of their footballs and that their proximity to the minimum PSI could have been what got them in trouble Sunday. He says that they are in the process of changing their team protocol so as to avoid situations like this in the future.

"Obviously with our footballs being inflated to the 12.5-pound range, any deflation would then take us under that specification limit," Belichick said. "Knowing that now, in the future, we will certainly inflate the footballs above that low level to account for any possible change during the game. “

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Very early look at Patriots vs. Seahawks Super Bowl storylines

(Photo by Elaine Thompson/Associated Press)

by Dakota Antelman

The combatants who will battle in Super Bowl XLIX were decided Sunday afternoon when the Seattle Seahawks toppled the Green Bay Packers by a score of 28-22 and the New England Patriots routed the Colts 45-7.

As their February 1 date at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale Arizona nears, the Patriots and Seahawks prep for each other's scheme riddled play calling and power heavy offences.

Below are some initial observations and storylines made at the very beginning of these team's Super Bowl preparations...

Comeback king Seahawks vs. dominant Patriots

The Patriots and Sehawks are alike in the sense that they both finished the season with the best record in their conference and proceeded to win their conference championship. Aside from that, they are two teams with vastly different paths to this season's Super Bowl.

Seattle started the year with a record of four and three and took much longer to find its identity in 2014 than the Patriots did. Furthermore, once they did start winning games, they were only doing so by 7 to 10 points. The Patriots on the other hand scored 40 or more points on five different occasions during a stretch where they won 10 of 11 games between Week 5 and Week 16.

Lastly, in the AFC Championship game, they blew the Colts away with ease while the Seahawks needed a last second drive from Russell Wilson and a stunning overtime hail mary to advance to the Super Bowl.

Pete Caroll faces his old team

Before Tom Brady was in New England and before Bill Belichick left the Jets to coach the Patriots, Pete Caroll spent three seasons as the Patriot bench boss.

He inherited the job from hall of fame bound Bill Parcels before the 1997 season and promptly led the team on a mediocre 27-21 three year run. Caroll was fired after the 1999 season and was replaced by Belichick.

As Belichick earned national recognition as one of the greatest coaches in the history of football, Caroll trundled around the college football ranks before breaking back into the NFL in 2010 as coach of the Seahawks.

He enters this rare meeting with the team that fired him looking to win his second Super Bowl as a head coach.

Brady and Belichick get yet another shot at 4th title

Over the course of 15 seasons, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have now been to six Super Bowls. Their last two appearances have not gone exactly to plan though with losses being handed to them by the Giants in 2007 and 2011.

In 2015, the Brady/Belichick duo are desperate to avoid having the same number of Super Bowl losses as wins.

As for their chances, this year's Super Bowl, according to Las Vegas is the closest in history. When betting opened on Monday, multiple lines offered a pick-em while still others favored either the Patriots or Seahawks by only one or two points.

If Brady can swing those odds in his favor on February 1st, he will win the Super Bowl and tie Joe Montana for the most Super Bowl rings in NFL history.

Doing that, for many, would erase much of the pain felt by those painful losses to the Giants.

Major injuries on both sides could effect game

The last time the Patriots got to the Super Bowl they did so with depleted forces.

In 2015, injuries will once again be a major storyline going into Super Bowl Sunday. This time though, the bug has bitten both teams.

Notably, eccentric Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman was limited in the NFC Championship game with a sprained elbow. Beyond him, teammate Earl Thomas was in a "dire situation" Sunday according to coach Pete Carrol after he dislocated his shoulder in the first half.

While both Sherman and Thomas had MRI's Monday and are expected to play in the Super Bowl, their injuries could have lingering effects two weeks from now and lead to an amended approach for the Patriots offence and secondary.

On the Patriots side of the ball, rookie center Bryan Stork was the biggest Patriots injury story going into the AFC Championship and will likely remain so for the next two weeks. He sprained his knee in the Divisional Playoff Game against Baltimore and missed Sunday's game vs. the Colts. The Patriots are yet to comment on his status for the Super Bowl.

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Report: Bruins expected play Canadians in 2016 Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium

(Photo by David L. Ryan/Globe Staff/File)

by Dakota Antelman

According to DJ Bean of WEEI, the NHL has finalized plans for the Bruins to host the Montreal Canadians in the 2016 Winter Classic at Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium.

The WEEI report acknowledges that the league is yet to make a public announcement on the subject. However, it does not come completely out of the blue.

Last month, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported via Twitter that the Bruins were favorites to host the 2016 Winter Classic. Though no venue was specified in that report, both Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park were names mentioned as potential host venues.

Fenway hosted the game in 2010 when the Bruins toppled the Flyers 2-1 in overtime. The aura of Fenway as an iconic stadium combined with the rivalry between the Bruins and Flyers drew in the largest viewership that the Winter Classic had seen in its then three year history.

Six years later however, the NHL appears to be leaning towards bigger venues in its selection of Winter Classic hosts. Though the Red Sox organization expressed interest in getting the game back, the potential for nearly double the ticket sales at Gillette Stadium seemed to sway the scale in its favor.

In terms of the matchup, the NHL is positioning itself for a bounce back year after the ratings flop that was the 2015 Winter Classic.

The long engraved rivalry between the Bruins and Canadians will be a major story throughout the league as the game approaches while it will also likely draw in far more Canadian viewers than has been the case in the first nine Winter Classics.

The Canadians will be just the second Canadian team to play in the Winter Classic.

For Bruin Dougie Hamilton, the prospect of playing in this storied game is delightful. He is part of a brand drew generation of NHL players who have grown up watching the Winter Classic and dreaming of playing in it.

He spoke Monday on the topic.

“I think it would be awesome,” Hamilton said. “It’s something that you kind of follow every year. In [recent] years I watched the HBO show in juniors and kind of pictured what the NHL was like. Then watching the games, it’s obviously special with the different jerseys and the venue and the crowd and rivalries and everything; it’s something you’d really want to be a part of.

“I think when [speculation] came out last year and we kind of thought it was going to be this year, I think it was kind of disappointing that it wasn’t us. Hopefully we get it and have that chance. It [would be] something to really forward to next year.”€

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Patriot run game carries team past Colts to 8th Super Bowl

(Photo by Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

by Dakota Antelman

The New England Patriots were dominant in their dispatching the Colts from the AFC Championship Game.

After jumping out to an early lead which they held onto until halftime, the Patriots scored 21 points on Andrew Luck’s Indianapolis Colts in just the 3rd quarter alone. They fought through a heavy rainstorm with sometimes debilitating wind gusts to finish the night nearly perfect in their numerous redzone drives.

Tom Brady was crucial in ensuring that perfection, completing 23 of 35 attempted passes for 220 passing yards and three touchdown passes. His success in his record ninth AFC Championship game moved him into sole possession of the postseason touchdown passes record.

Though the game, like the season was not a perfect one for Brady, it was enough to get the Patriots to Glendale in convincing fashion.

"I know we've had some ups and downs this year," Brady said, "but right now we're up, baby, and we're going to try to stay up for one more game."

Brady had plenty of help in getting past the Colts though. As the Indianapolis secondary seemed to negate the efforts of Rob Gronkowski for much of the game, and a hip injury took wide receiver Julien Edelman off the field for some time, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDanials repeatedly called upon seasoned running back LeGarette Blount.

Blount, who ran for 166 yards and four touchdowns in last year’s Divisional Playoff game against the Colts, put up three touchdowns and 148 rushing yards Sunday.

“He ran his [butt] off, ran hard for four quarters” teammate, Shane Vereen said of Blount. "Coming into the game, we didn't know what the game plan was going to be, because we didn't know really what to expect from the Colts' defense. We were expecting some wrinkles but we were able to run the ball."

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Blount had 68 rushing yards AFTER contact. On one notable play midway through the third quarter, Blount earned a first down by continuing to push forward after the Colts defenders assumed he was down and let go of him.

"He made some great cuts in not good conditions," Belichick said of Blount, citing still other carries where Blount simply shook defenders off him without any need for his power running game. "He's a tough guy to tackle."

The Patriots made themselves hard to tackle both in a literal and metaphorical sense in the AFC Title Game. Through Blount’s dominant day, Julien Edelman’s nine catch effort as well as a shutdown showing by the Patriots secondary, the Patriots gained separation from the Colts early and never relented in their scoring assault.

As they revel in their AFC Title Game blowout, New England keenly turns its collective head towards Glendale Arizona where in two weeks, the Patriots will face the Seahawks in hot pursuit of their fourth Super Bowl title.

As Bill Belichick said with a smug hint of a smile following Sunday’s win, “Were on to Seattle.”

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3 takeaways from Bruins 3-1 loss to Columbus Blue Jackets

by Dakota Antelman

The Bruins were dealt a painful loss Saturday night, losing by a score of 3-1. Carl Soderberg scored Boston's only goal while Tuukka Rask was good for much of the game.

Below are some takeaways from the loss...

Winning streak over

The Bruins were riding high going into this game. They had won five straight contests and taken points out of their last 13 games.

Though they played similarly to the way they have been throughout this streak, Saturday's loss ruined the absoluteness of their early 2015 run. The Bruins, having also watched as the Rangers beat the Blue Jackets the night before to reclaim the first wild card spot, now have their record drop to 24-16-6 on the season and will have to wait until Tuesday to get their next chance at leapfrogging New York.

Bruins absorb loss of Marchand

One of the biggest storylines going into Saturday's game was that surrounding the suspension of Brad Marchand for slew-footing Rangers forward Derick Brassard. Marchand was suspended two games by the Department of Player Safety Friday and spoke to media Saturday morning on the topic.

While there was little opposition to the suspension within the Bruins or even Boston as a whole, there was much to be said about how the team would absorb the loss of him vs Columbus.

Very simply, the Bruins seemed to play seamlessly without the grit of Marchand. Fourth line winger Danial Pallie was promoted to Marchand's normal line consisting of Patrice Bergeron and Reilly Smith. He and his line rattled off 10 shots and played normal ice time.

Though the Bruins definitely missed Marchand, Saturday's game seemed to settle some fluttering fears that his absence would devastate the team's momentum.

Milan Lucic dominates finesse game

Milan Lucic, who already had three goals in the new year, played one of his best fundamental games fans have seen out of him in a while.

He and linemates, David Krejci and David Pastrnak, were connecting on passes with showstopping consistency Saturday. Furthermore, Lucic himself put up five shots in the loss, more than he had in any game this season. Though he did not factor into the score sheet in a major way, Lucic was arguably the Bruins best offensive player vs the Blue Jackets; something that has not been true for a long time.

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Analysis: Patriot pocket protection throughout season

Please note, Week 10 is omitted so as to not cause confusion. The Patriots did not play in Week 10 as it was their BYE. As a result, the figure jumps from 9 to 11 along the "Weeks" axis for the sake of accuracy.

 The Patriots will play the Indianapolis Colts Sunday with an offensive line, shuffled by a recent knee injury to center Bryan Stork. That storyline has reopened the season-long conversation about the effectiveness of the offensive line at keeping pressure off quarterback Tom Brady. 

The above figure is an analytic representation of the sacks and QB hits allowed by the Patriot offensive line (Week 10 BYE week omitted). Those two statistics prove telling in the judging of a offensive line. Very simply, when the quarterback is not getting hit and/or sacked, the line is keeping control of defenders pressing their way. When the QB is getting knocked down, that means the defenders are beating them. 

A quick glance at the Patriots OL numbers this season shows rather sporadic work at different points in the year. 

The first four games of the season, which were marred with inconsistencies within most every part of the team, involved six sacks by New England opponents. Tom Brady was hit 18 times in those games and, consequentially finished Week Four's loss to the Chiefs with a season completion percentage of  61.1 and a four game passer rating of 80.95. 

Following the abysmal start though, the OL locked down and allowed just 9 sacks over the next 10 games. With less pressure, Brady himself turned his season around. He threw for two or more touchdowns in all ten of those games and successfully lead his team on a seven game win streak that toppled many of the NFL's best teams. 

After the Patriots clenched the AFC East and soon after, the number one spot in the conference, the offensive line ran into trouble once again. 

They allowed four sacks in back to back games against the Jets and Bills. Tom Brady was hit 17 times in just those two games alone and was forced to run far more than he would have liked. In the finale against Buffalo, the offence was rendered stagnant partially because of the Bills pass rush. Brady threw for just 80 yards before being pulled from the game in the third quarter. 

Things ended up slightly better two weeks later in the Divisional Playoff game vs Baltimore. Allowing just two sacks, the offensive linemen managed to keep the Ravens off Brady long enough to let him make his throws.  He was still hit nine times, far too many for an offensive line as physically powerful as the Patriots'. 

The Patriots will go up against the Colts without Bryan Stork and yet they cannot feel bad for themselves. Stork was not the entire OL and at times this season, the unit as a whole played a shutdown game for the team. 

If they can get the same results that they did between Week 4 and Week 15 Sunday in the AFC Title Game, all will be well. If they choose to keep with the trend set in the first four games of the year as well as the last three, than look to the running backs to bail Brady and company out of this one. 

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Bruins, Brad Marchand speak on subject of suspension

by Dakota Antelman

Bruin forward Brad Marchand spoke to media Saturday for the first time since his slew foot on Rangers forward Derick Brassard earned him a two game suspension.

He and his coaches spoke candidly about the play and the suspension that resulted from it. Marchand appeared to accept the suspension as a natural consequence while insisting that the slew foot was not intentional.

“Going into the play, it wasn’t what I was trying to do,” he said. “I was just trying to make a hard hit. I was trying to throw him backwards, but I didn’t intend to kick his feet out. Things happen. It’s a quick game. Plays in hockey are going to happen that are questionable, and you’ve got to live with it.”

After all though, the NHL acted mainly on what they saw in the video they were presented with. That video showed a, textbook definition of a slew foot.

The NHL Department of Player Safety has revamped its approach in dealing with slew footing plays in just this season alone. What used to just earn a player a fine now gets them a suspension; similar in practice to either Marchand’s or Dallas Stars forward Ryan Garbutt who was suspended for an identical play to Marchand’s earlier this season.

Bruins coach Claude Julian touched on the topic of the crack down Saturday.

"The league made its decision. They're certainly trying to cut down on slew-footing, so we have to accept it and move on,” he said.

Beyond the suspension itself, Marchand devoted much of his statement to the topic of his growing reputation as a controversial or even dirty player. This suspension goes down as the third of his career and fourth time he has been penalized by the Department of Player Safety.

"It's a grave I've dug for myself and I've got to live with it," he acknowledged.

The NHL admittedly takes reputation into account when assessing whether or not a suspension is in order. Marchand understood that as his laundry list of infractions lengthens, his reputation might be playing a role in the frequency of these punishments.

“Maybe it played into it a little bit, but I have been trying to play within the rules and change my game,” he said. “Again, I play a hard game and I’m going to do things that are questionable at times. I’ve got to live it. The way that they discipline me, I’ve got to live with that.”

He was gracious in celebrating the fact that he will only miss two games with this suspension while keeping focused on his eventual return to game action next Wednesday vs. the Avalanche.

"They made their decision and I've got to live with that,” he said. “Hopefully the guys do well without me and I can get back in against Colorado."

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Why even without Stork, Brady and Co. should be able to deal with Colts pass rush

(Photo by the AP)

by Dakota Antelman

In a season where the defense has been hailed as one of the best of the Belichick era and the offense has been clicking at a rate similar to 2007's, the offensive line has at times been woefully bad. At certain points in the season Tom Brady has appeared to be perpetually under pressure from sometimes sub-par opposing pass rushes.

That has been especially true in recent games where the Patriots line has caved with painful regularity. That combined with the news that Bryan Stork will not play Sunday due to a knee injury  has the potential to strike fear into the hearts of Patriots fans the world over.

But before the alarms are completely sounded and the panic button hit, fans could take a look at the trends shown by these teams that have so effectively exploited the Patriots; then they would see that the Indianapolis Colts do not fit that trend.

Of the eight teams that the Patriots have faced since their BYE week, six of them finished the season in the top ten in the league in sacks. Furthermore, of those eight teams, all but two of them had more sacks that the Colts currently do.

The Colts, though possessing a somewhat acceptable blitz, have the weakest pass rush the Patriots have gone up against in weeks. Arguably, Sunday could be the easiest day for the offensive line since Week 14 in San Diego -- even without big bodied Bryan Stork.

So what does this mean for Tom Brady and company?

Not much. This is true simply because even when the pass protection has been bad, Brady has found ways to move the ball down the field.

Through what has been some rough few weeks for the Patriot QB, Brady has not dipped noticeably in his completions.

In Week 16 against the Jets, one of the most definitive flops made by the O-Line, Brady was hit 11 times and sacked four times. He kept mobile though, getting passes off before contact was made, and eventually throwing for 182 passing yards as well as a touchdown.

Last week, against the Ravens, Brady was hit 9 times and dragged down for a pair of sacks. He played lights out football late in the game though, ending the day with 367 yards through the air and three touchdown passes.

2014 has been a year of redefinition for Brady. He has been completing passes at his more regular rate but has suddenly introduced a new style of mobility to his game. He has ran the ball for some of the best gains of his career this season.

He is shaking tackles and throwing on the run. With an unrivaled arsenal of talented receivers, he has been able to complete those throws with great success and consistency.

His mobility is allowing him and the Patriots offence to break away from the traditional pocket-passer approach that has defined their offense for over a decade and a half now.

Needless to say, if the offensive line can pin the Colts down and give Brady a comfortable pocket to throw from Sunday, he will oblige.

Very simply, the AFC Championship Game looks to be one that Brady will dominate. Either through his new found mobility or through his traditional cannon throws from behind the capable backs of his offensive linemen, the Colts secondary could soon be inundated by big gains.

If that turns out to be the case, I would challenge anyone who could think of a scenario where the Colts could turn in a victory.

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Patriot Bryan Stork out vs. Colts

(Photo by Getty Images)

by Dakota Antelman

After missing all three team practices this week, the Patriots officially listed center Bryan Stork as "out" for Sunday's AFC Championship Game vs. the Colts.

Stork injured his knee last week vs. the Ravens and has been a touchy subject for Patriots coaches and players this week. Bill Belichick devoted no time to answering questions on Stork, obviously taking the injury one day at a time.

As soreness apparently persists in Stork's knee though, the team was forced to make the call Friday morning, holding him out of practice and effectively disqualifying him from Sunday's game.

Stork's absence reincarnates what was somewhat of a revolving door on the offensive line a week ago. General speculation from Patriot media outlets suggests that the team will have guard Ryan Wendell playing center while rookie Cameron Fleming and possibly reserve OL, Josh Kline, will get time Wendell's normal place.

Little will be stable on an offensive line that has been grossly unstable at many points during the year.

That being said, of all the weeks for New England to suffer an injury blow to their offensive line as severe as this, this might be the best one. The Colts have one of the weakest pass rushes the Patriots have faced in over a month. In the most telling statistic when rating a pass rush, sacks, the Colts ranked 9th in the NHL this season, tied with the Broncos, Packers, and Vikings with 41.

That is worse or equal to the sacks totals of 7 of the last 9 teams the Patriots have faced this season.

The Patriots face the Colts at 6:40PM on Saturday in Foxboro. Then and there they will try to keep pressure off Tom Brady and, even without Stork, dispatch a Colts team they is heavily favored to beat.

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Why Brad Marchand's hit on Derick Brassard should start some conversations in Boston

(Photo by Winslow Townson/USA Today Sports)

by Dakota Antelman

When Brad Marchand slew footed Derick Brassard during Thursday night's game between the Bruins and Rangers, there was little opposition to the general assumption that he would be suspended in the coming days. 

So overtly illegal seemed the play, in fact, that the NHL Department of Player Safety went through a near ritualistic process Friday morning before swiftly punishing the Bruin forward with a two game suspension. 

This suspension will have Marchand sitting out both Saturday's meeting with Columbus and next Tuesday's clash with the Dallas Stars. More so, it will cost him $48,387.10 in forfeited salary money which will be funneled into the Players Emergency Assistance Fund.  

Such a punishment is almost benign. Marchand skates away from this incident largely unscathed as given the perceived severity of his hit on Brassard combined with his lengthy laundry list of supplementary discipline, it could have been understandable how and why a suspension of five or more games could have been in order. 

As described in the Department of Player Safety's video Marchand initiated the contact with Brassard by apparently kicking out Brassard's legs. As Brassard fell to the ice, Marchand came down hard with a forearm thrust to Brassard's shoulder and chest. As Marchand stood upright in the corner, Brassard landed dangerously, with the entire weight of the check on his shoulders and neck and his body pinned almost vertically up against the corner-boards. 

The possibility for severe injury was evident from the first replay of the hit. Brassard himself, understood that possibility best.

"The way I fell on the ice, I maybe could've missed the rest of the season if I hurt my knee there . . ." he said. "Marchand's a pretty good player, he's feisty, competes hard, but those kind of things, we don't want that in our game."

As much as Bruins fans love to celebrate the three time 20 goal scorer in Marchand, they have long sense come to terms with the near Matt Cooke circa 2010 hitman within him as well. 

This suspension marks the third of his career and the fourth instance of supplementary discipline for Marchand after just five seasons in the league. Notably, he was booked back in 2010 for what was deemed a "clip" or dangerously low hit to the knees of Vancouver Chanuk, Sami Salo. Before that, Marchand was ordered to sit for five games after an elbow to the head penalty. 

But perhaps the most glaring of these punishments is the one that was not actually a suspension. Before the Brassard hit on Thursday night, Marchand delivered a near identical slew foot against Pittsburgh Penguins pest Matt Cooke in 2011. He was fined $2,500 largely out of principle. That fine was a $2,500 slap on the wrist from the league that said "hey don't do that again." 

But he did. 

This time there was no coddling Marchand; from the Department of Player Safety or any of the other executives or even fans involved with the NHL. Two games is what he got, two games or even more were what he deserved. 

And now, as Marchand spends the next two games watching from the press box, Bruins fans will have time to cast him a glance, in all his sedentary observational glory, and rethink their judgment of him. 

Very simply, as hockey fans, we hate to see plays like the one that took place Thursday night. As Derick Brassard said, there is simply no place for that in our game. As Bruins fans, we especially like to call other teams out when they encroach upon that sacred no-mans-land of possible body contact into which none shall enter.

We still remember the rightful slandering of Matt Cooke's name after Mark Savard's career ended on his elbow. But what would we say if Marchand blew out Brassard's knee and ended his career like Cooke did Savard? Marchand would deserve the same kind of ridicule.

Which begs the question: is Marchand a dirty, cheap shooting player like Matt Cooke? Sadly, the answer could be yes.

Now this is not to undermine the great things that Marchand has done as a Bruin. He is an immensely talented scorer with arguably much more talent than any of the thugs mentioned above. But much like the kid in high school with "all that potential", Marchand keeps making immature decisions on the ice and as a result is well on his way towards having an assigned seat in the principal’s office.

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David Pastrnak to remain with Bruins past 9th game milestone

(Photo by Elise Amendola/AP)

by Dakota Antelman

Bruins general manager, Peter Chiarelli, announced Thursday that rookie forward David Pastrnak will not be returning to the Providence Bruins once his temporary call up ends following Thursday's game. 

In accordance with NHL regulations, his contract status will change to "professional" with his salary increasing as well. 

Chiarelli explained the deal in a press conference during the first intermission of Thursday's game. 

"We scrutinized his play in Providence and really felt that the NHL is a place where he is gonna get the proper physicality and skill of opponents," he said briefly.

Thursday marked Pastrnak's eighth start with the Bruins this season. He entered the game having scored four times while clocking nearly 15 minutes of ice time in each of those games. Still though, many were skeptical of his abilities as well as his longevity within the league. 

Notably, Pastrnak did not make it through preseason roster cuts due to fears from coaches that his small stature endangered him as he went against some of the bigger players within the NHL.  

After over 20 games in Providence, a tournament's worth of starts for Czech Republic at the World Junior Tournament in Canada, as well as eight starts with the Bruins though, those fears appear to have absolved from the Bruins' mindset. 

"He went down there and did what we told him to, that's play hard, play along the walls," Chiarelli said. "Definitely playing without the puck better."

Though Chiarelli admitted that Pastrnak does still have a propensity to put himself in somewhat dangerous situations given his size, the Bruin GM also insisted that his first round draft pick is rapidly gaining physical strength as well asweight.  

As for how often he will get to show fans that strength, that was left up in the air even after Chiareli's clarifying media talks. 

Speaking on the subject of the fluidity of Pastrnak's role with the team, he said "It dosn't mean he's in the lineup all the time, there may be times where his time dips a little bit, even times where he goes down to Providence for a game or two. But the big takeaway from this should be that he's staying with the team, practicing with the team and hopefully getting some playing time."

Though it remains unclear where among the Bruin’s offensive core Pastrnak will fit, there are few within the Bruins organization, or their fan base, who have much that is negative to say about the team’s youngest and most promising prospect.

"I feel he has done very well in his apprenticeship in Providence which has been huge," Chiarelli said. "He's a good kid."

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Thoughts on Bruins farm players: Anthony Camara, Zach Trotman, Jeremy Smith highlighted

(Photo by Rosina Vacchiano)

by Dakota Antelman

Recently, the Bruins AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, faced off against the Worcester Sharks, the San Jose Sharks affiliate, in a regular season meeting at the DCU Center in Worcester.

Go Titletown was there to observe. Below are a few thoughts on three Bruins prospects that fans might not have been given the opportunity to observe yet...

Anthony Camara 

- Most like...Brad Marchand

Overview...

Anthony Camara, a 21 year old Bruins prospect out of Toronto, is playing his second season in Providence after being drafted in the third round of the 2013 draft. In 92 starts with the team, Camara has scored 12 goals and has brought an intense style of play to the neutral and offensive zone game of the Providence Bruins.

At first look, Camara plays a very similar game to current Bruin, Brad Marchand. He is a sneaky, almost pest-like player who seems to get away with the kinds of arrant elbows and malicious forearm jabs that some of the best do with ease and satisfaction. Beyond that Camara, like Marchand, utilizes a high hockey IQ combined with his incendiary sped to help move the puck through the neutral zone swiftly and without effective resistance from an opponent.

The latter of those traits could benefit the Boston Bruins greatly in the future. Throughout this season a sore point for these Bruins has been their ability to gain and sustain pressure offensively. The fluidity with which Camara moves could remedy that.

Zach Trotman

 - Most like...former Bruin Andrew Ference

Overview...

Bruins fans got a look at Zach Trotman earlier in the year when he came up to the Bruins in the wake of Zdeno Chara's PCL tear. He returned to Providence after just 17 games though meaning fans did not get to see him settle into a lineup on a big stage.

As reflected by his performance in the AHL, a place where he has settled in, Trotman is a shutdown defenseman. He is a positional player who can make plays without putting his stick on the puck. Nevertheless, when he does step up on a forward, Trotman unleashes a devastating body check as well as pinpoint stickwork.

 Perhaps  the one shortcoming in his game however is his shot. Trotman lacks the power behind his slapshot that most Bruins fans are accustom to after watching the likes of Dennis Sidenberg, Zdeno Chara and even Torey Krug on a nightly basis.

Regardless though, Trotman adds immense depth to an already well stocked Bruins defensive core while also giving Peter Chiarelli a superior bargaining chip in the trade market.

Jeremy Smith

 - Most like...former Bruin Tim Thomas


Overview...

The name of Jeremy Smith is one Bruins fans have not heard much since he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Bruins this offseason.

However, playing backup for the Providence Bruins behind Malcom Subban, Smith has amassed a GAA of 2.15 and a save percentage of .929. He has won 10 of the 20 games he has played in and has a pair of shutouts in those games.

But perhaps the most interesting thing about Jeremy Smith is the stark similarity his style has with that of former Bruin great and current Dallas Stars goalie, Tim Thomas. Technically, Smith is a "butterfly" goalie meaning he drops to his knees to play shots. But even so, he often loses that form as rebounds are given up or shots are taken from close range. He becomes the kind of unorthodox goalie that Thomas is as, in such cases, Smith can be seen frantically diving across the crease to cover pucks and glove rebounds.

While the Bruins currently have little need for such a goaltender within their system (goalie depth chart currently has 3 capable starters on it in Subban, Tuukka Rask and Niklas Svedberg), like Trotman, Smith serves as an uncontested bargaining chip on the trade market as the Bruins seek the kind of goal scoring forward that could elevate their play.

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Underappreciated Patrice Bergeron finally recognized with All-Star nomination

(Photo by Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

by Dakota Antelman

Bruin forward Patrice Bergeron played ten NHL seasons before he was finally named to his first All-Star Game Sunday afternoon.

The sometimes underappreciated Bruin center has long since been an anchor of his team. As a player focused on defense, Bergeron brings a specialized blend of pinpoint offensive zone work and relentless back-checking to every situation he is put in. He scored with regularity and has, on four different occasions, ended a season with a +/- rating of over 20. That is a magnificent testament to the completeness of Bergeron’s game.

Bergeron had won two Selke Awards for best defensive forward. He had won an NHL +/- award, an Olympic gold medal and been named to the cover of the video game “NHL 15”. But through it all, he had never been named to the All-Star game. Sunday was his first nomination.

As a result, one can understand why even a person as cool headed and team oriented as Bergeron showed some overt excitement during and after team practice Monday morning in Wilmington.

“It’s a cool feeling. It’s an honor. It should be a fun weekend. It’s a first for me, so I’m excited about that and to say I’ve been there, and know what it’s like,” said Bergeron. “It’s good to sometimes have new experiences, and do something different. It’s also one of those things where you give credit to your linemates and teammates, and you’re just happy to represent the Boston Bruins.”

Bergeron will be the only Bruin present at this coming All-Star game. He does so fittingly as he currently leads the Bruins in assists, goals and overall points. Though much of that scoring has come in the last 11 games or so during a recent offensive hot streak, he has been the model of what the Bruins should be striving for all throughout this season.

While others have collapsed or struggled to return to form after minor to moderate injuries, Bergeron has powered through. He has helped keep the Bruins in a somewhat acceptable position throughout the season.

Bergeron, one of the best things Boston hockey has produced in the new century, has long flown under the radar of NHL voters. In 2014-2015 though, a season that will quite possibly go down as a lost one for the Bruins, he has jumped to the forefront, partially illuminated by the plummeting play of his teammates.

Coaches, fans and general Bostonians though are not surprised at the sudden declaration of number 37's skill.  They have known all that Bergeron can bring for a long time. The statistics speak for themselves.

“I think Patrice has deserved that honor for a long time. It’s his first time for a guy that’s done so much, not only for his team but for his league,” concluded Bruins coach Claude Julien. “He was good enough to play in the Olympics, and as good a two-way player as you’ll find. So it’s nice for him to get recognized.”

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Early look at the Indianapolis Colts

(Photo by Brian Spurlock/USA Today Sports Images)

by Dakota Antelman

Following Indianapolis' stunning upset of the Denver Broncos in Sunday's divisional playoff game, the New England Patriots are on to preparing for their AFC Championship Game against the Colts. 

The Patriots, decided favorites in this game, will spend this week prepping specifically for a unique Colts team as they aim to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2011. 

Below are some key storylines and players to watch going into next Sunday's game...

Colts passing game is second to none

The Indianapolis Colts were ranked first overall in the NFL in passing yards during the regular season. Such was largely the produce of third year quarterback Andrew Luck who completed 61.7% of his passes also leading the league in passing yards with 4,761. 

In the receiving game, stars TY Hilton and Reggie Wayne combined for over 2,000 of Luck's 4,761 passing yards. Though somewhat shaky in the endzone, Hilton and Wayne served as the secondary anchors to this offence that Luck built.

Indy run defense leaves room for breakout day for Patriots RB's

After running the ball on just 7 of 57 offensive plays vs. Baltimore, the Patriots could be headed towards a match-up vs Indianapolis that would favor a running back heavy approach. The Colts were 18th in the NFL this season in run defense, allowing an opposing RB to rush for 90+ yards on them five different times. 

The most stinging of those 90 yard days came in Week 11 when New England's own Jonas Gray dismantled the Colts rushing for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns on 38 carries. 

Lastly, if the past is any indication, this Patriots team enters this game with a history of running back explosions vs Indianapolis. Even before Gray this season, LeGarrette Blount blew the Colts away in last year's playoffs with 166 yards and four touchdowns of his own. 

Former Patriot Adam Vinatieri looking to prove he still has it

42 year old, four time Super Bowl winning, seasoned kicking great Adam Vinatieri has, in the time since he left the Patriots after the 2005 season, carved out a legacy for himself in Indianapolis. More so, 2014, a season 19 years after his debut, has arguably been his greatest. 

Vinatieri missed just one of the 31 field goals he attempted this season. He converted on three different kicks from 50 or more yards while also never missing from closer than 40 yards. 

As he faces the team that fostered his initial years of placekicking excellence, Vinatieri will be aiming to play a big part in one more AFC Championship win, proving his sustained skill as he does so.

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Struggling Seth Griffith demoted, David Pastrnak scores after promotion

(Photo by the Associated Press)

by Dakota Antelman

When David Pastrnak was not included on the Bruins opening day roster, the general understanding within the Bruins organization was that said exclusion was temporary. When Pastrnak scored two goals in a 3-1 win over the Flyers, his first game since being called up to the team, the general consensus was that he was here to stay.

Such a fact is a happy one for Bruins fans who have witnessed this team struggle through multiple stretches of time without a consistent goal scoring winger. For one specific Bruin though it marks the probable end to his time with the team.

As Pastrnak celebrated his two goal outburst vs the Flyers, rookie winger Seth Griffith was demoted to the AHL Providence Bruins.

Despite playing 30 of the first 43 games of this season for the Bruins, Griffith’s recent slump, which saw him score just 1 goal in 15 games, proved him too much for the team to carry; especially after Pastrnak’s emergence.

Griffith will likely play on the first line in Providence; but barring any unforeseen injuries to any of the Bruins wingers; it could be a while before fans see him again in Boston.

In the meantime, Pastrnak will be enjoying his first extended stint in the NHL. He has surely earned it. After spending much of this season maturing in Providence and dominating on a world stage over in the World Junior Classic, his coaches recognize the vast improvements he has made to his game even since this year’s preseason.

“He's been skating well and he makes things happen. He's starting to feel a little better around David Krejci and understanding how David plays,” said coach Claude Julien.

Pastrnak played a lights out game on the Bruins second line consisting of David Krejci and Milan Lucic vs the Flyers. Both his goals came on pinpoint, cross crease passes from Krejci while throughout the game he and the seasoned Bruins center were connecting to move the puck up the ice.

“They're both smart players and they always get themselves in positions where they can make things happen," Julien said. "(Krejci) is going to find guys that are open, Pastrnak is a guy who knows where to go, so it was nice to see. He skates well, puts Ds on their heels with their speed. And at the same time, he's showing he's really coming around with his game without the puck.”

Things will only get better for Pastrnak and Krejci who are both team players who benefit from time spent with each other.

“The last game (against New Jersey) was the first one for us together, so we just had to take the time to get used to each other and find each other on the ice,” said Pastrnak on the subject of his second goal vs the Flyers. “I think every game it will get better, but he found me. It wasn't that hard to score that second one.”

Much of the Flyers game seemed effortless for Pastrnak. He hit with ease and pinpointed possession grabs like some of the defensive forwards the Bruins cherish. He logged 16 minutes of ice time and showed extreme athleticism in his skating and his endurance late in the game.

Though there is still room for improvement in the future, the present Pastrnak looked pretty good vs Philadelphia. A prolonged stretch of the kind of scoring he brought to the table in that game would work wonders in helping move the Bruins up in the NHL standings. 

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Perfect plays by imperfect Patriots help beat Ravens

(Photo by Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

by Dakota Antelman

As has been a common theme in the last few playoff Patriots meetings with the Ravens, Tom Brady and the Patriots offence overcame a partially sluggish outing to squeak out a nail biting 4^th quarter win.

On the back of a slew of trick plays and one head scratching manipulation of the NFL rule book, the Patriots overcame two 14 point deficits to advance to the AFC Championship game for a fourth straight season.  

Needless to say, the game was a rough one to watch. For many Patriots fans, the alarm was sounded in the first quarter as the Patriots fell behind by two scores and then sounded again when the Ravens pulled away once again to start the second half.

Patriot quarterback Tom Brady did not deny the unfavorable position that the early game struggles put the team in.

"Behind twice by 14 wasn't necessarily in the plan," Brady said. "It took a lot of execution to overcome it."

Stumbling and struggling through the early minutes of this Divisional Playoff game, Bill Belichick and his coordinators eventually recognized the need to rework their entire approach to the game.  “Trick play” soon became the defining phrase of the affair.

Brady clocked a four yard touchdown run early. Soon after that, the Patriots put into motion an unheard of call that involved playing ineligible receivers and setting up with too few offensive linemen. That specific play had the Ravens defense scrambling and their coach John Harbaugh furious.

Following the game, Harbaugh stuck to his argument that that play was one that employed an illegal formation. So loud in fact was the back and forth chatter between Patriot and Raven camps that the NFL had to jump in and insist that the play was legal.

All that nonetheless, occurred after the Patriots continued to pile on with sly play calling. Rob Gronkowski was seen lining up on defense. College quarterback turned wide receiver, Julian Edelman, threw a touchdown pass to WR Danny Ammendola. And in the game’s final seconds, the Patriots lined up with a 3 defensive linemen set and stifled a desperate hail mary attempt by Joe Flacco.

Trick plays saved the day for the Patriots. It was not pretty and at times it even made this team appear to the league as more of a lucky team than a skillful one. But amidst it all, they got out of the Divisional Playoffs alive.

"It was a wild game," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said, "but I'm just thankful our players hung in there and made the plays they needed to make."

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Patriots extend Patrick Chung, Brandon Boulden

(Photo by Jared Wilkerham/Getty Images North America)

by Dakota Antelman

One day before their playoff matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, the Patriots front office briefly took their eyes off Joe Flacco and company with intentions to sure up their own team in the long term.

As was first reported by ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots signed safety Patrick Chung as well as special team player Brandon Boulden to multiyear contract extensions on Friday afternoon.

Chung’s deal runs for the next three years and is worth up to $8.2M when incentives are factored in. Regardless though, at its core, the Chung deal offers him a $2.4M signing bonus as well as a guaranteed base salary of $3.4M.

The hefty pay raise comes after a resurgent season for Chung with New England. He played all 16 games for the team making 85 tackles and picking off one pass for an interception. Coaches, fans and media alike were delighted to see Chung return to form this season after a four year stint with the team (between 2009-2012) that was largely deemed a failed experiment.

Chung played the 2013 season with the Eagles but returned to the Patriots through free agency following the year.

Bill Belichick described Chung’s journey man qualities of late as a product of him trying to effectively find a way to fit within an NFL system

"I think some of the circumstance of the '12 season didn't work out as well as we all hoped, for a combination of reasons,” he said back in November. “Pat and I talked about that last year after he was released from Philadelphia. Pat and I talked about that. We had a long conversation about a lot of things. I don't think it was anybody's fault. It was just one of those things that didn't work out.”

Needless to say, that conversation proved poignant and set the stage for one of Chung’s best seasons.

Behind Chung for much of the year was special teams running back Brandon Boulden who was also extended Friday.

His deal is worth $3.2M and runs through the 2016 season. The deal could inflate to over $3.5M though with the $350,000 in incentives Boulden has the opportunity to earn.

Boulden, dispite sitting low on the running back depth chart, got considerable time on the kick return and punt defense teams this season. He figures to do the same next season while always being available to step in should the rushing core be damaged enough to need such depth.

The Patriots assigned over $11M on contract money to players Friday, locking up some considerable depth at two often lesser mentioned positions on their team. The deals guarantees that depth  for next season while it could also be a confidence booster for Boulden and Chung in the short term when New England plays Baltimore on Saturday in Foxboro.

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Bruins in a free-fall as shots are taken from within

(Photo by Jared Wilkerman/Getty Images)

by Dakota Antelman

The Bruins sit outside the playoff picture. Their season has been marred with miscues and the alarm has long since been sounded. After a tumultuous sequence of days, following their most recent OT loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, though, the Bruins have begun taking shots at themselves.

The statement is both literal and in part a sports metaphor. The two days between Sunday’s 2-1 loss in Carolina and Tuesday’s meeting with the Penguins featured some pointed comments by GM Peter Chiarelli and CEO Charlie Jacobs as well as a literal fight between teammates Torey Krug and Brad Marchand.   

Ticket sales are stalling, fans have begun raining “boos” down not upon the opponent but the lackadaisical Bruin struggling in the neutral zone. Calls of “Tuuuuukk” uttered for Tuukka Rask have at times been drowned out by satirical cheers while the media has begun to intermix their highlight reels with statements like “this was the best spin we could put on this.”

Frustration is commonplace within the Bruins system today as it has been for much of the season. As the team continues to stumble, even at the halfway mark of the season, the frustration within the team has permeated into the stands.

Fans who are still watching this team are doing so not for goals or playoff victories but for trades, firings and gritty overhauls that will help revert the organization to the state that delivered such things.

As they do so though, the byproducts of this systematic frustration are scrutinized and elevated to a platform of media focus as talk of division titles was in years past.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, January fifth, sixth and seventh, were days on which that scrutiny was revealed.

Tuesday morning in Boston, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli addressed the Boston Globe saying that players should “absolutely be uncomfortable about their job security.”

“It impacts the rest of the game,” Chiarelli said specifically of the Bruins flat first period vs Carolina. “We’ve seen a few those of periods in this three-game stretch. It’s disappointing. We’re still treading water, and that’s not acceptable. That’s the common denominator in those three games.”

He went on to say “It’s never fun to be in this situation — to try and improve your roster when you’re not in a real position of strength, there’s not a lot of activity going around. But you try and peck away and try to improve your team. At the same time, you hope these guys can string a couple games together. We have to watch this closely.”

Chiarelli certainly had faith in his team when he spoke. But saying that his players should absolutely be uncomfortable does not bode well for team confidence and or trust in one another. It blatantly tells players they could be on the move soon. “So don’t get to comfortable!”

Though some may argue it is a motivational tactic, the statement seemed more like an honest assessment that need not be vocalized.

Mere hours later, newly appointed Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs came out with much stronger words.

Describing a scenario in which the Bruins miss the playoffs as an “utter failure”, Jacobs said “I’d say without question this has been a very disappointing year. It’s unacceptable the way that this team has performed given the amount of time, money and effort that’s been spent on this team,” said Jacobs. 

“To see it delivered the way it has is unacceptable. I can tell you that at the moment it’s a very fluid situation that’s being monitored closely. I don’t have any answers for why we’re underperforming because if I did I would have tried them long ago.”

It is as if the Bruins are a distracted private school student whose parents are frustrated with his or her plummeting grades.

Needless to say, when your supreme boss says he is disgusted with your performance the result is a DIRECT shot to your confidence.

But the Bruins are professionals right? They would not be shaken by a little tough love. More so, they surely have their priorities straight.

They made it harder to believe those statements in turn mere hours after Jacobs’ chastisement.

During “battle drills” at Bruins practice, a fight broke out between teammates Torey Krug and Brad Marchand. The scuffle apparently arose after Marchand made a joke about Krug’s height to a friend.

Krug gave a behind the scenes look minutes later at media availability time.

“He told one of my buddies that he was taller than me, and it pissed me off,” he said. “It’s just competing in practice, you don’t like something and tempers flare a little bit. It’s nothing crazy, and you saw afterwards that we’re fine with each other. Who knows? Maybe that is what this team needed a little bit.”

He then soured.

“I think it’s no secret that guys aren’t happy with where we’re at. It’s got to start somewhere, so why not in practice. I thought after that you noticed the guys were a little more intense, and having some fun. We’ll see. Maybe we can use that.”

Intensity is a good thing but a rare fight in practice does not seem so positive. There is a line between the good teams and the bad teams in the NHL and in recent years these types of practice fights have always occurred within teams on the wrong side of that line.

While it would be unfair to judge the entire roster on the occurrence of a hot tempered shoving match during a rough patch in the season, the trend is there and it definitely adds to this general perception that the Bruins are taking shots at themselves.

They face the Penguins Wednesday night Pittsburgh eager for a win against one of the NHL’s best teams. They do so motivated and positive; but perhaps they are not quite motivated enough.

The team has the players to win. The team has the coaches to win; yet they fail to.

Is it motivation? Possibly. But more, so these recent losses could be the product of incorrect priorities. The specter beseeching these priorities stands as the Bruins taking shots at one another.

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Early look at Baltimore Ravens: Kicking game, Ravens TE's, Pats O-Line lead the conversation

(Photo by Yahoo Sports)

by Dakota Antelman

Steve Smith set to draw big coverage from secondary

Baltimore tight end Steve Smith caught five passes for 101 yards against the Steelers. In a game dominated by a focus on diversifying the Ravens offense, Smith excelled, making the most of the few passes QB Joe Flacco tossed his way.

Smith as a player has a long engraved history of making teams pay with big plays. He is a big bodied tight end, similar in playing style to the likes of former Ravens great Dennis Pitta and similar in attitude to Patriot anchor Rob Grokowski.

He adds an interesting facet to the impending Patriots/Ravens meeting as his being a slightly slower player would make it hard for New England to assign him to any of their shut down corner backs. At the same time though, leaving Smith to the linebackers could spell disaster for the Patriots.

Stage set for battle of the kickers

Two kickers who have been near perennial Pro-Bowl contenders for multiple years now will be facing off in the Patriots/Ravens divisional game.

Stephan Gotskowski of New England kicks against Justin Tucker of Baltimore. The two had similar numbers even in a somewhat down year for Tucker.

Tucker made 29 of 34 field goal attempts this season leading the team in points scored and nailing long distance kicks in several clutch situations for the team. Gostkowski was slightly better hitting 35 of 37 field goals.

Tucker and Gostkowski figure to be big factors in Saturday's game with both teams relying heavily on the presence of a consistent kicker when their offence stalls.

Dan Connolly, Nate Solder and O-Line tested again by Baltimore pass rush

After allowing four or more sacks in back-to-back games, the Patriots offensive line appears to be one of the team's weakest units going into the postseason opener.

Despite a stock of fundamentally strong offensive tackles, the pocket has been consistently collapsing on Tom Brady. If they do not turn things around, the future hall of famer could be suffering the same claustrophobic fate by halftime on Saturday. This is because the Baltimore Ravens sacked opponents a league best, 49 times in the regular season, utilizing one of the best pass rushes in football with brutal effectiveness.

The one story line running in their favor as Saturday approaches does feature Nate Solder returning to the team after leaving the Week 17 finale against Buffalo. Solder could solidify the offensive line which, notably, played its worst after Solder was injured.

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