Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

[patriotway]

I'm really new to this, but was inspired by several other football dynasties that I saw in this forum. This particular thread will detail the 2013 season, and beyond, of the New England Patriots. The primary focus of the 2013 season will be to answer the question of whether or not the "Patriot Way" is still intact and what it means.

Since I'm not as good with graphics as others on this forum are, this thread will very story driven. The 2013 preseason will be skipped since I won't start my franchise until the 53-man roster comes out next week. This will all be done in Owner Mode of Connected Franchise.

Time to introduce the star players (pun intended) of this story:

Robert Kraft, Owner 1994-Present

Since purchasing the New England Patriots 1994, Robert Kraft has built an NFL dynasty. A lot of uncertainty has recently caused the media to question whether the "Patriot Way" still exists. With the 2013 season, Kraft looks to prove that the Patriot Way is alive and well.

Bill Belichick, Head Coach 2000-Present

Also known as "The Hoody", Bill Belichick has been the cornerstone of the New England Patriots for over a decade. As one of the longest tenured NFL coaches, Belichick's legacy will be put to the test starting this season and beyond.

Tom Brady, Quarterback 2000-Present

New England Patriots starting quarterback Tom Brady is a three time Super Bowl champion (with two Super Bowl MVP's). Brady leads the New England Patriots into uncertain times for the 2013 NFL season.

Stevan Ridley, Runningback 2011-Present

The young running back proved to be more than dependable, rushing for over 1200 yards last season. With the turnover in the receiving core, more may be expected out of the third year running back. Will Ridley be able to produce again for the Patriots this year?

Vince Wilfork, Defensive Tackle 2004-Present

Along with Tom Brady, Vince Wilfork is one of the senior members of the New England Patriots. Wilfork's leadership is important with all the turnover the Patriots have seen recently. Wilfork's play along the defensive line will be an important part of determining if this defense can improve again this season.

Jerod Mayo, Linebacker 2008-Present

Jerod Mayo has been an integral part of the Patriots defense since being with the 10th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Mayo along with the young linebacker core will look to take another step forward in improving this defense.

Let's Now Open the Curtain On the New England Patriots 2013 Season

Index:
Chapter I: An Offseason of Turmoil
Chapter II: Change Is An Inevitable Part of NFL Life
Chapter III: Training Camp, Preseason and Building the Future
Chapter IV: What Is the Patriot Way?
Chapter V: Victory Road

[patriotway]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Brandon Lloyd No Longer a Patriot

The Patriots decided to cut ties with receiver Brandon Lloyd. After having a productive 2012 catching 74 passes for 911 yards, releasing Lloyd has raised eyebrows in New England. Why wouldn't the Patriots want Lloyd's production for the 2013 season? Only time will tell whether or not this move was wise...

Free Agent Wes Welker Signs with the Denver Broncos

After playing the 2012 season on the franchise tag, wide receiver Wes Welker wanted a contract extension worthy of the production he provided over the last 6 years with the New England Patriots. When he and the Patriots organization were unable to agree on a contract, Welker signed a 2 year deal with the Denver Broncos.

Rob Gronkowski Needs Time to Heal

The star tight end of the New England Patriots faces the most difficult offseasons of his young career. Gronkowski had several procedures done to his forearm and back that have sidelined him for the moment. How the Patriots adjust the offense without the dominant tight end remains to be seen. At the moment, it appears as though Gronkowski should be ready for the regular season opener.

Other Offseason Departures:
RB Danny Woodhead (free agent signs with the San Diego Chargers)
RB Jeff Demps (traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers along with a 2013 7th Round Pick for RB LeGarrette Blount)
OL Donald Thomas (free agent signs with the Indianapolis Colts)
S Patrick Chung (free agent signs with the Philadelphia Eagles)
DT Kyle Love, DT Brandon Deaderick (both released)
TE Aaron Hernandez (released)

NFL Notes:
LB Brandon Spikes (Patriots) decides to train on his own and will not attend training camp
S Jairus Byrd (Bills) to holdout in contract dispute

[patriotway]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

New England Patriots Draft Recap
Pick	Player	College	Pos	Ht	Wt
Round 2 Pick 52	Jamie Collins	Southern Miss	LB	6' 3"	250
Round 2 Pick 59	Aaron Dobson	Marshall	WR	6' 3"	204
Round 3 Pick 83	Logan Ryan	Rutgers	CB	5' 11"	191
Round 3 Pick 91	Duron Harmon	Rutgers	S	6' 1"	200
Round 4 Pick 102	Josh Boyce	TCU	WR	5' 11"	203
Round 7 Pick 226	Michael Buchanan	Illinois	DE	6' 6"	250
Round 7 Pick 235	Steve Beauharnais	Rutgers	LB	6' 2"	230

Other Patriots draft notes:
-the Patrtiots trade their 1st round (No. 29 overall) pick to the Minnesota Vikings for the Vikings' 59th, 91st, 226th and 235th picks
-In the 2012 regular season, the Patriots traded their 4th Round pick (No. 126 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for cornerback Aqib Talib and the Bucs 7th round (No. 226 overall) pick
-In 2011, the Patriots traded their 2013 5th round draft (No. 162 overall) pick to the Washington Redskins for defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth
-In 2011, Patriots trade 2013 6th round pick (No. 197 overall) and a 2012 5th round pick for wide receiver Chad Johnson
-the Patriots trade running back Jeff Demps and 7th round (No. 229 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for LeGarrette Blount
More on rookie receivers Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce in a bit.....

Refreshing the Slot With Amendola

With Wes Welker departing via free agency, the Patriots had a huge whole at wide receiver to fill. Now, with Brandon Lloyd being released earlier this offseason, two of their top receivers from last season are gone. In order to replace Welker's role on the offense, the Patriots have signed former Rams receiver Danny Amendola to a 5 year $31 million dollar contract. Amendola has a missed many games during his time with the Rams due to injury. If Amendola can stay healthy, he can become an integral part of the Patriots offense for years to come.

A New Look Receiving Core?

Having lost their top two wide receivers from last year, the Patriots used the 59th overall pick in the second round to draft Aaron Dobson and the 102nd overall pick in the 4th round to draft Josh Boyce. Dobson projects to be an outside receiver for the Patriots, while Boyce has the ability to play not only as a slot receiver but can shift to the outside as well. Both Dobson and Boyce will have big shoes to fill as they are in line to replace Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd. First, they'll have to prove if they can learn the Patriots complex offense.

Tebow Time Comes to the Patriots

It's been reported since Tim Tebow was drafted with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2010 draft that Bill Belichick had his eye on Tebow. After an unbelievable 2011 season with the Denver Broncos, with Tebow leading them to a playoff victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tebow was traded to the New York Jets. Unfortunately, the Jets had a poor 2012 regular season finishing 6-10 and Tebow was released the following offseason. After signing with the Patriots, it's suspected that Tebow will compete with 3rd year quarterback Ryan Mallet. The move reunites Tebow with former Broncos head coach (now Patriots offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach) Josh McDaniels. What role will Tebow play this offense? Will Tebow even make the team? Only time will tell......

Other Offseason Acquisitions:
WR Michael Jenkins (2012 team: Minnesota Vikings)
WR Donald Jones (2012 team: Buffalo Bills)
DT Tommy Kelly (2012 team: Oakland Raiders)
DL Armond Armstead (from CFL)
S Adrian Wilson (2012 team: Arizona Cardinals)
RB Leon Washingtion (2012 team: Seattle Seahawks)

Rookie Free Agent Signings:
WR Kenbrell Thompkins (Cincinnati)
TE Zach Sudfeld (Nevada)
FB Ben Bartholomew (Tennessee)
OL Chris McDonald (Michigan State)
OL Matt Stankiewitch (Penn State)
DL Joe Vellano (Maryland)

[patriotway]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Part I of II: Training Camp to Preseason

Position Battles:
Like every offseason before this one, there are players that have to earn their spot on the roster through hard work and due diligence. Solid play from the previous year doesn't always garantee that a players spot will be safe. With that said, here are the position battles taking place this year.

Quarterback:

Not sure how much of this will be a competition, but you never know when Tim Tebow is involved. Ryan Mallet has been the backup to Tom Brady for the last two seasons and there is a lot of speculation as to what role Tebow will have on this team.

Runningback:
While Stevan Ridley's role as the primary back seems secure, the signing of Leon Washington and the acquisition of LeGarrette Blount leave the other spots in doubt. We'll monitor this situation and see how Shane Vereen and Brandon Bolden respond. At the moment, Bolden's place on the team is the most uncertain.

Defensive Tackle:
Once again, the Patriots are in search of a running mate for Vince Wilfork. With Brandon Deaderick and Kyle Love being released earlier in the year, a gaping whole was left at the defensive tackle position. In order to fill that whole, the Patriots signed veteran Tommy Kelly. Along with Kelly, Scott Vallone, Marcus Forston and Joe Vellano.

Safety:
The signing of safety Adrian Wilson has many reporters thinking back to the days of Rodney Harrison. A big, physical safety doesn't seem to fit into today's NFL, but Steve Gregory will still have to prove that he can hold down the fort alongside Devin McCourty.

Punter:
In one of the more surprising moves this offseason, the Patriots sign undrafted rookie free agent Ryan Allen. For the moment, Zoltan Mesko's job would appear to be safe. Mesko has been more than reliable for the Patriots since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Rookie Receiver Thompkins Impresses All

Rookie receiver Kenbrell Thompkins has surprised all with his performance in training camp. The undrafted rookie free agent has taken some of the spotlight off of Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce. Not only has he shown nice physical ability, but Thompkins also appears to have a grasp of the offense as well. His development along with Boyce and Dobson are crucial to the success of New England's offense.

Zach "The Stud" Sudfeld

Alright, it's way to soon to refer to rookie tight end Zach Sudfeld as a stud, but he has also been a pleasant surprise along with Thompkins. Since Rob Gronkowski will miss all of training camp and the preseason, much will be expected of Sudfeld and the other tight ends on the roster.

Other Patriots Odds and Ends:
Patriots release WR Donald Jones

NFL Notes:
LB Von Miller (Broncos) to serve 6-game suspension for violating league policy
TE Dennis Pitta (Ravens) may miss the rest of the year with dislocated hip
Ravens sign TE Visanthe Shiancoe
WR Jeremy Maclin (Eagles) placed on IR
QB Robert Griffin III (Redskins) wants to play, Shanahan proceeds with caution
WR Percy Harvin (Seahawks) opts for surgery, may miss most of season
A torn ACL ends both OL Bryan Bulaga's (Packers) and OL Dan Koppen's (Broncos) season

Patriots Look Impressive In Preseason Opener

The Patriots looked like they didn't miss a beat as they win 31-22 over the Philadelphia Eagles. The biggest surprise out of this game was seeing rookie free agent receiver Kenbrell Thompkins start. Thompkins' prgression in this offense is something we'll be keeping an eye on.

Patriots Offense Firing On All Cylinders, Defense Turns Up Heat

The New England Patriots put together another solid performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On offense, Tom Brady and the new group of wide receivers look like they are already in sync. The defense played ferociously and either sacked or pressured the quarterback all night long. If this is the way things are trending, then the Patriots look like they'll enter the 2013 regular season as one of the top tier teams in the league.

[patriotway]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Part II: Second Half of Preseason and Roster Cuts

Patriots Fumble Dress Rehersal

It's only a preseason game, but it's the most important one. For whatever reason, the New England Patriots didn't play in the same fashion that they had in the first two preseason games. This game hasn't gone well for the Partiots over the last few years. Let's just hope that this game doesn't foreshadow events to come. The lone bright spot for the game was the play of rookie receiver Kenbrell Thompkins. Tim Tebow didn't get a chance to play as Ryan Mallet played most of the second half. The Lions won the game 40-9.
Players That Didn't Suit Up:
WR Danny Amendola
OL Marcus Cannon
DE Jermaine Cunningham (injured)
WR Kamar Aiken
CB Alfonzo Dennard
CB Ras-I Dowling
S Nate Ebner
TE Daniel Fells
DE Justin Franc

Tim Tebow's Last Stand

It's all up to the back end of the roster to prove what their worth. Typically, in the last preseason game, the starts are usually held out. This gives any bubble players an opportunity to state their case for being on the roster. While there was some good play out of Tim Tebow, he showed that his play is wildly inconsistent. While there were many inaccurate throws, there were also some very impressive ones as well. At best, Tebow is the 3rd quarterback on the depth chart if he makes the team. Seventh round draft choice Michael Buchanan also showed up, registering 2.5 sacks in the game. With everything wrapped up, it's time to evaluate play and determine who makes the 53-man roster. The Patriots won the game 28-20 and finish the preseason with a 3-1 record.

Patriots Cuts:
TE Jake Ballard
TE Daniel Fells
DE Marcus Bernard
LB Mike Rivera
OL Matt Stankiewitch
DL Scott Vallone
CB Ras-I Dowling
LB Niko Koutouvides
QB Tim Tebow
P Zoltan Mesko
WR Quentin Sims
RB Leon Washington

[patriotway]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Editors Note: From here on out, all of the stories in this thread will come from how things play out in Madden NFL 25 (with the exception of the completion of the 53-man roster and anything left over from the preseason). Players that are suspended or injured will be buried in there respective teams depth chart until they are scheduled to return.

Part I of V: The Present, the Past, and the Future

Time's Up for Tebow in New England

Many people scratched their heads upon learning that the Patriots had signed Tim Tebow this offseason. Their was rampant speculation that Tebow would be an H-back or play some other position. Instead, Tebow reps mainly came at the quarterback position. While he did play well in the first preseason game, the rest of the preseason looked dismal. He did however slightly redeem himself late in the fourth preseason game by throwing two touchdowns. A lot of his flaws as a quarterback were apparent and the Patriots decided to part ways with the third year player.

Rookies Continue to Steal the Show

In one of the most surprising moves the Patriots made this preseason, they have decided to cut punter Zoltan Mesko. This leaves the duty of punting in the hands (or more appropriately on the foot) of undrafted rookie free agent punter Ryan Allen. While it was thought that Mesko had done enough to secure his position, the rookie looked equally impressive during the preseason. This situation has been compared to the kicker battle the Patriots had a few years ago with Robbie Gould and Adam Vinatieri. In that situation, the Patriots opted to stick with Vinatieri while Gould eventually ended up signing with the Bears in the 2005 season.
Update: It didn't take long for the talented punter to find work as Zoltan Mesko has been signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers.


Players On IR:
S Adrian Wilson
OL Markus Zuscevics
DL Corry Grissom
OL Tyronne Green

A Look Back at the 2012 Season

A wise man once said (don't ask who this wise man is as I don't know myself) that one cannot advance towards the future until they understand their past. Now that those most fascinating words have seeped in, let us look back for a brief moment on the New England Patriots' 2012 season.

The 2012 season for the New England Patriots went much like many thought it would. Sort of. With Wes Welker's contract situation was a major story line in the 2012 offseason. The Patriots attempted to negotiate a contract after signing Welker his franchise tender, but talks fell apart.

After Welker and the Patriots were unable to agree on a long term deal before the June deadline, Welker would have to play the 2012 season with the franchise tag.

While Welker's play had been exceptional for the past few years, the Patriots lacked an outside receiver to take the pressure off of him and tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. The signing of veteran free agent receiver Brandon Lloyd was the Patriots remedy for the issue. Lloyd would have to prove that he could learn the Patriots complex offense and build a rapport with quarterback Tom Brady.

Chad Johnson's lack of production in the 2011 season led to the New England Patriots signing Brandon Lloyd in the off season.

The addition of Lloyd wasn't the only change the Patriots' offense would see in the 2012 offseason. With the Cincinnati Bengals signing BenJarvus Green-Ellis to a 3-year deal, there was a lot of unproven talent left on the Patriots roster. The Patriots would look to either Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead or undrafted rookie Brandon Bolden to fill the Green-Ellis' role.

2011 3rd round draft choice Stevan Ridley would have to prove he was capable of being the primary running back in 2012.

One of the biggest questions of all for the Patriots heading into the 2012 was the defense. While the Patriots' defense statistically left much to be desired in 2011, the unit did enough to win games. One particular problem the Patriots defense had was generating pass rush. The Patriots sought to solve this issue through the draft by choosing Chandler Jones with the 21st overall pick and Dont'a Hightower with the 25th overall pick. In order to help the back end of the defense, the Patriots selected Tavon Wilson with their 2nd round (48th overall pick.

Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower are chosen to help give the defense a boost.

With the all of the change an NFL team goes through in the offseason, a steady and calming focus is needed in order to make sure the entire team is on the same page for the regular season. The New England Patriots have that in head coach Bill Belichick and Brady. That presence proved to be enough in the Patriots week 1 win over the Tennessee Titans. After back to back loses to the Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens, the Patriots were below .500 for the first time since the 2003 season. That year, they lost the first game of the season to the Buffalo Bills.

The combination of Torrey Smith and Joe Flacco were more than the Patriots could handle.

The Patriots would have to refocus as their next game was on the road against their division rival, the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots came away with an impressive win and started their first winning streak of the season by beating the Broncos the following week at home. At this point, the Patriots' new acquisitions were paying off. Lloyd and complimented Welker well and rookies Jones and Higtower were solid on defense. The following week, the Patriots hosted the Broncos and looked just as impressive. The Patriots managed to get an early lead and were able to hold off a late rally, winning 31-21.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning renew their rivalry after Manning's injury forced him to sit out the entire 2011 season.

At this point, the younger players had proven they belonged on the team. While they didn't produce great numbers, their play as unit looked better than it had before they arrived. The Patriots hit another bump in the road after a trip to Seattle to face the Seattle Seahawks resulted in a surprising loss. That loss would be only one of two for the remainder of the season. A tough week seven victory over their AFC East rival New York Jets propelled the Patriots on a 7-game winning streak. In that span, the Patriots had dominating wins over the St. Louis Rams, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. Not everything went so smoothly during the Patriots winning streak though. In the game against the Colts, Rob Gronkowski once again broke his forearm while blocking during a PAT attempt. Despite this setback, the Patriots went on to win their next three games. One of those games was a blowout win against the Texans, a team many thought was one of the best teams in the NFL.

For the next game, the Patriots welcomed the San Francisco 49ers into Gillette Stadium. After benching Alex Smith in favor of second year quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers team truly took off. The Patriots got to see this first hand as they lost 34-41.

The 49ers dominated early and managed to hold off the Patriots strong second half surge.

The Patriots went on to win the final two games of the year against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a rematch with the Miami Dolphins. Heading into the playoffs strong, the Patriots were in position to make another Super Bowl run. The changes the Patriots made in the offseason had paid off. Ridley rushed for over 1200 yards, along with 12 touchdowns. Unlike the number 85 that had come before him, Lloyd had a solid season with the Patriots, catching 74 passes for 911 yards and 4 touchdowns. With Gronkowski returning from his injury, the Patriots headed into the playoffs at full strength.

The Patriots were able to prove they were the superior team once again in their rematch with the Texans. After a close first half, the Patriots went on to outscore the Texans 24-15 in the second half coming away with a 41-28 victory. Once again, the Patriots would lose a critical part of their offense. Early in the game, Gronkowski broke the same forearm he did in the regular season game against the Colts. The Patriots would have to head into the AFC Championship game without their big tight end.

The Patriots rivalry with the Ravens has really been an interesting one over the last few years. The Ravens' defense lead by Ray Lewis and Ed Reed has been effective at keeping Brady in check. If the Patriots hoped to win this game, they would have to play better than they did in their regular season game. The Patriots had gotten off to a good and went into the second half with a 13-7 lead. In the second half, the Ravens took complete control of the game. Their defense shut out the potent Patriots offense and receiver Anquan Boldin looked unstoppable. This combination helped the Ravens score 21 unanswered second half points as they won the game 28-13.

Anquan Boldin dominates the Patriots secondary in the Ravens 28-13 win over the Patriots in the AFC Championship game.

Over the last decade, the Patriots have enjoyed the type of success that very few NFL teams have. While many teams would like to have at least made the AFC Championship game, that's not the standard for the Patriots. In the ever changing NFL, settling is the quickest way to fall behind. In the 2013 season, the Patriots will look to improve upon the success they had.

Now that we've looked back at the 2012 season, let's dive into the 2013 regular season of the New England Patriots.

New England Patriots 2013 Roster
#	OFFENSE	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE
12	Tom Brady	QB	36	6-4	225	Michigan
15	Ryan Mallett	QB	25	6-6	245	Arkansas
29	LeGarrette Blount	RB	26	6-0	250	Oregon
38	Brandon Bolden	RB	23	5-11	220	Mississippi
22	Stevan Ridley	RB	24	5-11	220	LSU
34	Shane Vereen	RB	24	5-10	205	California
46	James Develin	FB	25	6-3	255	Brown
80	Danny Amendola	WR	27	5-11	195	Texas Tech
82	Josh Boyce (R)	WR	22	5-11	205	Txas Christian
17	Aaron Dobson (R)	WR	22	6-3	200	Marshall
11	Julian Edelman	WR	27	5-10	198	Kent State
18	Matthew Slater	WR	27	6-0	210	UCLA
85	Kenbrell Thompkins (R)	WR	25	6-1	195	Cincinnati
87	Rob Gronkowski	TE	24	6-6	265	Arizona
47	Michal Hoomanawanui	TE	25	6-4	260	Illinios
88	Matthew Mulligan	TE	28	6-4	270	Maine
64	Chris Barker (R)	G	23	6-2	310	Nevada
69	Tyronne Green (IR)	G	27	6-2	316	Auburn
70	Logan Mankins	G	31	6-4	308	Fresno State
61	Marcus Cannon	OL	25	6-5	335	Texas Christian
63	Dan Connolly	OL	31	6-4	305	Southern Missouri State
62	Ryan Wendell	OL	27	6-2	300	Fresno State
66	Markus Zusevics	OL	24	6-5	300	Iowa
77	Nate Sodler	T	25	6-8	320	Colorado
74	Will Svitek	T	31	6-6	310	Stanford
76	Sebastion Vollmer	T	29	6-8	320	Houston
#	DEFENSE	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE
92	Jake Bequette	DE	24	6-5	265	Arkansas
96	Chandler Jones	DE	23	6-5	265	Syracuse
94	Chris Jones (R)	DT	23	6-2	302	Bowling Green
72	Joe Vellano (R)	DT	24	6-2	300	Maryland
99	Michael Buchanan (R)	DE	22	6-6	255	Illinios
93	Tommy Kelly	DT	32	6-6	310	Mississippi State
50	Rob Ninkovich	DE	29	6-2	260	Purdue
75	Vince Wilfork	DT	31	6-2	325	Miami (Fla.)
58	Steve Beauharnais (R)	LB	23	6-2	230	Rutgers
91	Jamie Collins (R)	LB	23	6-3	250	Tennessee
52	Dane Fletcher	LB	26	6-2	245	Montana State
54	Dont'a Hightower	LB	23	6-3	270	Alabama
51	Jerod Mayo	LB	27	6-1	250	Tennessee
55	Brandon Spikes	LB	26	6-2	255	Florida
59	Chris White	LB	24	6-3	238	Mississippi
25	Kyle Arrngton	CB	27	5-10	190	Hofstra
23	Marquise Cole	CB	29	5-10	195	Northwestern
37	Alfonzo Dennard	CB	23	5-10	200	Nebraska
26	Logan Ryan (R)	CB	22	5-11	195	Rutgers
31	Aqib Talib	CB	27	6-1	205	Kansas
43	Nate Ebner	DB	24	6-0	210	Ohio State
30	Duron Harmon (R)	DB	22	6-1	205	Rutgers
32	Devin McCourty	DB	26	5-10	195	Rutgers
27	Tavon Wilson	DB	23	6-0	215	Illinios
28	Steve Gregory	DB	30	5-11	200	Syracuse
24	Adrian Wilson (IR)	DB	33	6-3	230	North Carolina State
#	SPECIAL TEAMS	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE
3	Stephen Gostkowski	PK	29	6-1	215	Memphis
6	Ryan Allen (R)	P	23	6-2	215	Louisiana Tech
48	Danny Aiken	LS	25	6-4	255	Virginia

New England Patriots Depth Chart Depth Chart - 2013
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	Kenbrell Thompkins	Aaron Dobson	Matthew Slater	Josh Boyce
TE	Michael Hoomanawanui	Matthew Mulligan
LT	Nate Solder	Marcus Cannon
LG	Logan Mankins	Chris Barker
C	Ryan Wendell
RG	Dan Connolly	Marcus Cannon	Will Svitek
RT	Sebastion Vollmer	Marcus Cannon	Will Svitek
WR	Danny Amendola	Julian Edelman
QB	Tom Brady	Ryan Mallett
FB	James Develin
HB	Stevan Ridley	Shane Vereen	LeGrette Blount	Brandon Bolden
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	Rob Ninkovich	Michael Buchanan	Jake Bequette
LDT	Vince Wilfork	Chris Jones
RDT	Tommy Kelly	Joe Vellano
RDE	Chandler Jones	Michael Buchanan	Jake Bequette
WLB	Dont'a Hightower	Jamie Collins
MLB	Brandon Spikes	Dane Fletcher	Chris White
SLB	Jerod Mayo	Steve Beauharnais
CB	Aqib Talib	Logan Ryan	Marquice Cole
SS	Steve Gregory	Duron Harmon
FS	Devin McCourty	Tavon Wilson	Nate Ebner
CB	Alfonzo Dennard	Kyle Arrington
Special Teams
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
K	Stephen Gostkowski
P	Ryan Allen
H	Ryan Allen
PR	Julian Edelman	Danny Amendola
KR	Josh Boyce	Matthew Slater	Devin McCourty
LS	Danny Aiken

New England Patriots 2013 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 8	at Buffalo Bills	W, 33-16
Sep 12	vs New York Jets	W, 31-16
Sep 22	vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W, 24-17
Sep 29	at Atlanta Falcons	L, 49-24
Oct 6	at Cincinnati Bengals	L, 27-24
Oct 13	vs New Orleans Saints	W, 31-10
Oct 20	at New York Jets	W, 51-10
Oct 27	vs Miami Dolphins
Nov 3	vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Nov 18	at Carolina Panthers
Nov 24	vs Denver Broncos
Dec 1	at Houston Texans
Dec 8	vs Cleveland Browns
Dec 15	at Miami Dolphins
Dec 22	at Baltimore Ravens
Dec 29	vs Buffalo Bills

[Gronk4M13]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Following, this is great so far.

[patriotway]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Following, this is great so far.

Thanks. This is my first time doing this so I hope it turns out well.

[patriotway]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Part II of V: Let's Kick It Off

With rosters now finalized and game plans in place, the 2013 NFL regular season is ready to begin. The first game for the New England Patriots is a road game against their AFC East rival the Buffalo Bills. Before that, we'll look at four week one games that have the most intriguing story lines.


Games to Watch:
Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos
There are a number of interesting stories heading into the kickoff game of the 2013 season. To start, the Ravens have been forced to play this game on the road because of a scheduling conflict with the Baltimore Orioles. Add in that former Broncos defensive end/linebacker Elvis Dumervil now plays for the Ravens because of a mishap with a fax and a restructured contract. Now for the game itself.

The Ravens went into into Sports Authority Field and came away with a victory in double overtime. Now, the Broncos look to exact revenge upon the Ravens. With Von Miller serving a 6-game suspension, the Broncos will have to rely upon Shaun Phillips and others to pressure Joe Flacco. On the other side of the ball, Peyton Manning and the Bronco's offensive line will have their hands full dealing with pass rushers Terrell Suggs and Dumervil. This will also be the start of the post Ed Reed and Ray Lewis era in Baltimore. Everyone will have their eyes on the Ravens' defense to see how they play without those two.

Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers
Last season didn't end the way the Packers hoped it would. Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers offense looked unstoppable en route to a 45-31 victory. Even though Michael Crabtree is out for the first few weeks of the season, the offseason acquisition of Anquan Boldin will be a huge boost to their offense. Meanwhile, the Packers' will have to prove that last seasons playoff loss was more of a fluke than what they really are. With Donald Driver retiring and Greg Jennings signing with the Minnesota Vikings, Aaron Rodgers will have to rely on a younger crew of receivers to power the offense.

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys
A division game between the Cowboys and Giants are usually games that bring their own drama. Both teams are coming off disappointing seasons and will look to get things off to a better start in 2013. While the Cowboys' have the talent on their roster (when have we heard that before) they will have to prove that they are able to make it through their division and win some playoff games. As for the Giants, Eli Manning will have to play more consistently for the offense in order for the Giants to put together a winning season. That may be difficult as Andre Brown won't be available for the first few weeks of the season.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins
In another NFC East division game, the Eagles and Redskins meet in a Monday Night game. How fitting is it that Robert Griffin lll will make his big return under the bright prime time lights? The Eagles, along with new head coach Chip Kelly, will try to spoil Griffin's return. Other questions that permeate this game will are whether Griffin is even ready to play after having sat out the entire preseason. With Michael Vick winning the job as the starting quarterback, how will he perform in Kelly's up tempo, no huddle offense? All of these questions will be answered in the game.

[patriotway]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Matchup Preview *|* September 8, 2013
	@
New England Patriots (0-0, 0-0 Away)		Buffalo Bills (0-0, 0-0 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 6846 (2012, 1st) Total Offensive Yards 5486 (2012, 19th) 4662 (2012, 4th) Passing Yards 3269 (2012, 25th) 2184 (2012, 7th) Rushing Yards 2217 (2012, 6th) 34.8 (2012, 1st) Points Per Game 21.5 (2012, 21st) 34 (2012, 4th) Passing TD 24 (2012, 13th) 25 (2012, 1st) Rushing TD 12 (2012, 13th) 444 (2012, 1st) First Downs 301 (2012, 19th) Defensive Stats Comparison 5972 (2012, 25th) Total Yards Allowed 5806 (2012, 22nd) 4342 (2012, 29th) Passing Yards Allowed 3473 (1012, 11th) 1630 (2012, 9th) Rushing Yards Allowed 2333 (2012, 31st) 331 (2012, 9th) Points Allowed 435 (2012, 26th) 37 Sacks 36 20 Interceptions 12 Injury Report Rob Gronkowski/forearm (unknown) Game Notes The New England Patriots head into Ralph Wilson Stadium having dominated the Buffalo Bills since 2000 with a 23-3 record. For this game, the Patriots are without star tight end Rob Gronkowski as he recovers from multiple offseason surgeries. On top of that, the Tom Brady has to work with a newly revamped receiving core. That will be a situation that will be closely monitored not only in this game, but throughout the season. The Buffalo Bills are putting their hopes in the hands of rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel. Manuel as well as new head coach Doug Marrone will look to get their careers off to a good start by getting a home win against the Patriots.

[Jumpman14]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Following

[reiverbaseball06]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

I'll be following this thread

[redsrulenc]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Looks good man

[patriotway]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Following

I'll be following this thread

Looks good man

Thanks for following (if you still are). I haven't updated this often because I've been trying to get the roster just right. I was hoping that the IR issue would get fixed, but that doesn't look like it will happen, especially with the second patch having already been released. I should be able to get the first game going soon.

[Aparess]

Re: Whatever Happened to the Patriot Way - A Madden NFL 25 New England Patriots CFM

Can't wait for the first update of the regular season. Well written, hope you return to it soon.