Bedard Columns

Bedard: With Patriots’ roster makeup, it’s clear Bill Belichick is betting his chips on defense over offense

POSTED: 9:02 PM October 16, 2019

When you watch the Patriots on Sundays, it feels as if the defense is loaded for bear, while the offense is forced to piece together their attack with sticky tape...

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Bedard’s Breakdown: Yes, the Patriots’ offense was that bad vs. Giants – Ranking the issues that don’t include OT, RB

POSTED: 4:50 AM October 13, 2019

Holy hell. That’s really all I had left to say after re-watching the Patriots’ offensive performance in their 35-14 victory over the Giants. It was as bad as you thought...

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Bedard: Michael Bennett plays 11 snaps, 3 before garbage time – Is this the end?

POSTED: 9:01 AM October 11, 2019

at Gillette Stadium

Michael Bennett, whom the Patriots traded a fifth-round pick to the Eagles for and gave him a $4 million signing bonus, played just 11 snaps against the Giants. He spent...

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Bedard: Giants aren’t bringing much offensively, but 5 reasons why their defense will/won’t test Patriots

POSTED: 4:46 PM October 9, 2019

The Giants have ruled out three of their best offensive players — RB Saquon Barkley, WR Sterling Shepard and TE Evan Engram, along with backup RB Wayne Gallman — ahead...

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Site News

Bedard: Some personal and site news

POSTED: 7:05 AM October 8, 2019

A little bit of personal news and site news… I recently accepted an offer to become the lead NFL writer for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In fact, Monday was my...

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Bedard’s Breakdown: First half proved Patriots don’t need a running game for effective play-action passing

POSTED: 5:12 AM October 8, 2019

If you're one of those people who screams that the passing game isn't working this season because the Patriots can't run the ball as well as last season (you probably...

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Bedard: How the Patriots rode team run blocking, Jakob Johnson & Tom Brady to right offensive ship

POSTED: 11:11 PM October 6, 2019

If you just went by the offensive numbers after the Patriots turned a 9-7 halftime lead against the winless Redskins into a 33-7 rout on Sunday, it wouldn’t take a master’s degree...

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NFL Notebook: Tom Brady’s views on young WRs fits with his late-career Brady-centric arc, will it factor into his end with NE?

POSTED: 10:09 PM October 5, 2019

We’ll get into the possibility that Ben Watson’s return to the Patriots could be over before it really started, how the NFL should ban Raiders LB Vontaze Burfict and our...

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Bedard: What’s fact and fiction about the Patriots’ offensive line/blocking so far

POSTED: 7:33 PM October 2, 2019

Through four games this season — and just about any week in any season — there are no shortage of opinions on the Patriots. We can all agree the defense has...

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Bedard’s Breakdown: Not to excuse his performance, but Tom Brady might have his own agenda in target selection vs. Bills

POSTED: 10:51 AM October 1, 2019

it was poor. And it started with Tom Brady. From very early in the game, in fact on three of his first throws, Brady showed some questionable decision-making that was...

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Bedard: It’s OK just to say the Bills’ D played well, and Tom Brady and the offense didn’t

POSTED: 10:53 PM September 29, 2019

This should be said first and foremost: The Patriots’ defense and special teams won them the game, 16-10, against the Bills in Buffalo. That makes it a great and satisfying...

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NFL Notebook: Danny Shelton an early surprise for Patriots and will be a key vs. the Bills, & more

POSTED: 12:52 PM September 29, 2019

Some goal-line plunges on this Sunday morning as we get ready for the latest Bills fast start that will fade into oblivion (sorry for the late start today, but there are...

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Bedard: How the Patriots boosted the run game (273 yards) vs. Bills last year, and why a repeat might be tough

POSTED: 11:30 PM September 27, 2019

at Gillette Stadium

It was the biggest rushing day for the Patriots since they racked up 277 yards at Oakland in 2008, and it still stands as the second-largest rushing performance for the...

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Bedard: 3 things you need to know about the Bills – It will all come down to Josh Allen

POSTED: 1:34 PM September 26, 2019

After watching some Bills (3-0) film, here are the three things you need to know, a few video clips and our pick for the game. 1. The Bills will sink...

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Bedard’s Breakdown: Patriots’ offense is sluggish right now, but the reasons can be worked through

POSTED: 9:23 PM September 24, 2019

It didn’t take a football genius to recognize that the Patriots’ offense wasn’t exactly dominating in the 30-14 win over the Jets. Take away a few coverage busts by the...

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Bedard: The day Josh Gordon became a Patriot, perhaps, for good

POSTED: 10:13 PM September 22, 2019

at Gillette Stadium

Before Sunday's game against the Jets, Josh Gordon was certainly a member of the Patriots, but he was a bit of an enigma to even his teammates. Probably still is....

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NFL Notebook: How do the Chiefs stack up in the early going as they eye Patriots?

POSTED: 9:40 PM September 21, 2019

The Ravens and, possibly, the Chargers, Colts, Texans and Browns might have something to say about this before the end of the season, it almost feels like a fait accompli...

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Bedard: One play showed how perfect opponents have to be against this Patriots secondary

POSTED: 8:12 AM September 20, 2019

The talent is one thing. Stephon Gilmore is about as physically gifted as they come among big corners in the league. Jason McCourty still has remarkable makeup speed for a 32-year-old...

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Bedard: Patriots lacking physicality, polish as run game lags behind to start season