While we wait all day for the Patriots to start their regular season in Baltimore against the Ravens, let's take stock of where they are by going over our Patriots first-half award picks in extremes — we'll give you the most valuable Patriot, and the least valuable. And so on and so forth.
The envelope please...
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
This is going to be tough and would depend on your definition for the award. Me, I go with most valuable, not best. And it's not necessarily most indispensable player — that would always be Tom Brady. On the offensive side, Brady, Joe Thuney and Julian Edelman all deserve consideration. But the Patriots to this point have been all about the defense. So the award has to go on that side of the ball. Good luck picking between Stephon Gilmore, Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, Lawrence Guy and Dont'a Hightower.
The pick: Kyle Van Noy, OLB.
No. 53 leads the team with 22.5 total quarterback pressures and is near the top with 5.5 stuffed runs. Yes, he has more rush opportunities than Collins (13 TQBP, 6.5 stuffs), but Van Noy did miss a game for the birth of his child. And then I think about what's left if either player gets hurt. The Patriots can make do without Collins — they won two Super Bowls without him — but I don't want to see extended playing time for John Simon at Van Noy's spot. That would be a big weakness.
LEAST VALUABLE PLAYER
The pick: Korey Cunningham, OT.
Who? Exactly. The Patriots traded a sixth-round pick to the Cardinals for their 2018 seventh-round pick and despite injuries and performance issues on the offensive line, Cunningham has been active for all of two games and played in one. That sounds like a guy that the coaches aren't exactly tripping over themselves to see on the field. At least other guys play ... some.
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
(Adam Richins for BSJ)- Traded a pick to Lions for TE Michael Roberts (released).
- Traded TE Jacob Hollister to the Seahawks.
- Signed WRs Maurice Harris, Dontrelle Inman (both released).
- Signed WR Demaryius Thomas (traded).
- Signed TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (released).
- Signed TE Benjamin Watson (released, re-signed).
- Signed TE Lance Kendricks (released).
- Signed WR Cam Meredith (released).
- Re-signed WR Josh Gordon (released).
- Signed WR Antonio Brown, gave him $10 million (released).
- Haven't gotten anything out of first-round pick N'Keal Harry.
______________________
It's hard to believe that we're barely past Halloween and the AFC playoff race is largely determined, but it is. I mean, here's the field if it started today with the future schedule rank by FootballOutsiders.com:
1. New England (8-0), 23rd hardest
2. Indianapolis (5-2), 21st
3. Baltimore (5-2), 16th
4. Kansas City (5-3), 11th
5. Buffalo (5-2), 25th
6. Houston (5-3), 9th
7. Jacksonville (4-4), 22nd
8. Tennessee (4-4), 7th
9. Pittsburgh (3-4), 29th
10. Oakland (3-4), 26th
It's difficult to see any of the four division leaders faltering without major injury. You could make the argument for a four-horse race in the AFC South, but the Colts look pretty good.
The Raiders have gotten completely jobbed by the schedule with five games away from home — none on the West Coast — and still have their Thursday night game to play. They've done pretty well with that slate, and all the third-hardest schedule to date. The Raiders' best hope is for the AFC South teams to beat each other up and they sneak into a wild-card spot. In fact, that's what we see happening.
Prediction:
1. New England (14-2)
2. Indianapolis (12-4)
3. Kansas City (11-5)
4. Baltimore (9-7)
5. Buffalo (12-4)
6. Houston (10-6)
7. Oakland (10-6) * loses head-to-head tiebreaker with HOU
8. Jacksonville (9-7)
Tennessee (5-11)
Pittsburgh (6-10)