by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — In a cramped interview tent just outside of University of Phoenix Stadium late Sunday night, Randy Moss paused slightly for a moment while he pondered the question: Would he be back next year as a member of the Patriots?
“If I am in a New England Patriots uniform next year, I [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin are two examples of why people shouldn’t always make a snap judgment on the abilities of a first-time head coach, especially if they came of age as an assistant under Bill Parcells.
Both Belichick and Coughlin have taken similar routes to Super Bowl XLII: in their initial experience as [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
The last time the Patriots faced the Giants — in that famous Week 17 clash at the Meadowlands — the right side of the New England offensive line consisted of second-year Ryan O’Callaghan at right tackle and all-purpose utilityman Russ Hochstein at right guard. New England rushed for just 44 yards and barely [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
Both wear No. 55. Both went to USC, and call the West Coast home. Both took up residence in the same corner locker at Gillette Stadium. And during their time as Patriots, both quickly became important pieces in Bill Belichick’s defensive scheme.
But Willie McGinest and Junior Seau have both taken far different routes [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
Yesterday at Gillette Stadium, Rodney Harrison was poking fun at rookie defensive back Brandon Meriweather, calling him “my favorite young safety … other than Jacksonville’s Reggie Nelson.” Heath Evans was laughing about his first playoff experience with the Seahawks in chilly Green Bay in 2003. “It was cold.”
And Tom Brady was smiling and [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
It got them home-field advantage and a spot in the record books. But beginning Thursday, 16-0 means next to nothing for the Patriots.
When they return to work that morning to begin preparation for their AFC Divisional Playoff opponent — whether it’s Pittsburgh, Jacksonville or Tennessee — expect the giddiness and excitement from Saturday [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
The New England running backs are charged with much more than simply running the football. They are often the last line of defense between Tom Brady and an onrushing lineman or linebacker.
Through 15 games, the Patriots have allowed just 20 sacks on the season, the fifth-lowest total in the league. And while much [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
Randy Moss wasn’t shocked when he heard the news. Neither was Laurence Maroney, who mock-confessed to reporters he didn’t know it happened. And Tedy Bruschi and Bill Belichick seemed positively blasé about the whole thing.
After all, when you’ve got a perfect regular-season in your sights, the prospect of clinching home-field advantage and the [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
New head coach. New players. Same old over-aggressive Steelers.
When it came to beating Pittsburgh Sunday, the Patriots appeared to take a page out of their old offensive philosophy that worked for them in the 2004 AFC Championship Game, a 41-27 win over the Steelers. Want to beat Pittsburgh? Use its hyper-aggressive defensive tendencies [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
Tom Brady doesn’t list his lucky number in the Patriots’ media guide, but it’s a safe bet the New England quarterback is partial to 83.
When Wes Welker arrived in a deal for a pair of draft picks on March 5, he was given No. 83. It was the same number (and locker) as [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
First impressions can be misleading.
For James Sanders, his introduction to most Patriots fans came on the night of Nov. 5, 2006. The defensive back, who had been taken by New England in the fourth round of the 2005 draft out of Fresno State, had occasionally popped up on the radar screens of area [...]

by Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
When it comes to stopping Buffalo running back Marshawn Lynch, Patriots offensive lineman Ryan O’Callaghan figures it’s pretty simple: “Get a lot of people hitting him.”
O’Callaghan knows better than most — he was a college teammate of Lynch at Cal, and got to know Lynch pretty well. He cleared a path for him [...]