New England Patriots

Former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh will meet separately with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Sen. Arlen Specter on Tuesday to discuss New England's videotaping of opposing coaches' playcalling signals in violation of league rules.

How did we get here? On Tuesday, former Patriots employee Matt Walsh is scheduled to meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss what he knows about the team's videotaping procedures. Walsh has already provided all materials he had in his possession - eight tapes from six games in the 2000-02 seasons - yet it was noteworthy that there was ...

CLEVELAND - Some people dig Paris. Others prefer Rome, New York, or maybe the bright lights of Vegas. There are artsy types who want only to relax in Santa Fe. Tony Bennett rightfully left his heart in San Francisco and you're no dope if Chicago is your kind of town.

Matt Walsh's long-awaited meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is set for this morning in New York, and what the former Patriots video assistant says could mark...

With the Hall at Patriot Place set to open in the fall, the Patriots recently announced this year's crop of Hall of Fame finalists. There are currently 12 players in...

The knock on Drew Bledsoe at the end of his career was that he never loved football enough, that it was too easy to walk away each offseason for fishing in Montana and playing...

After three years of trying to find a position at UCLA, Matthew Slater found his niche' as one of the nation's top kick returners in 2007.

In today's Patriots.com News Blitz...  Matt Walsh is scheduled to meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Catch up with former Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe. Plus, we take a look at undrafted free agent LB Vince Redd, who was one of the more intriguing players who took part in the recent rookie mini camp. It's all in today's Patriots.com News Blitz.

Get to know the New England Patriots Cheerleaders. Each week we'll showcase a different Patriots Cheerleader. This week get to know Carrie, a second-year member of the Patriots Cheerleading squad.

Former Patriots employee Matt Walsh will meet separately with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Sen. Arlen Specter on Tuesday to discuss New England's videotaping of opposing coaches' playcalling signals in violation of league rules.

Former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh sent the NFL eight videotapes that show New England violated league rules by recording opposing coaches' playcalling signals.

The New England Patriots' seven draft picks and 11 undrafted free agents took to the field Friday for their first rookie minicamp, which coach Bill Belichick stressed was just the start of a long process to make -- and contribute to -- the team.

APRandy Moss will be back with the New England Patriots next season. Eye on Foxborough will not. As anyone who has been around these parts before knows, I consider blogging somewhat what of a passion -- and that means you...

I know, I know. I've been pretty quiet in this space since gravity stopped working, hell froze over and the Patriots became everyone's favorite one-step-short whipping boy on Sunday. As I already mentioned on Red Sox Monster, it's going...

eBay.com While some Patriots appear to be getting baked out of their minds, there was at least one good thing to come from the Super Bowl: Bill Simmons, ESPN's well-known Sports Guy, is taking to eBay for charity. As I...

The Patriots visited with free-agent running back Kevin Jones last week at Gillette Stadium, a league source confirmed tonight.

The speedy Jones, a first-round draft choice of the Lions in 2004, is recovering from a torn ACL. The Patriots had been high on Jones when he was coming out of Virginia Tech, and were prepared to scoop him up with the No. 32 overall selection in that draft, but the Lions swooped in with a trade and picked him at No. 31.

The Patriots are well stocked at running back, with Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans and Kyle Eckel atop the depth chart.

The NFL Network's Adam Schefter first reported on the Patriots' visit with Jones..

ESPN.com unveils its NFL power rankings today and the Patriots reside in the top spot.

Power rankings in May are always a bit tricky, but one aspect that is easy to appreciate here is some of the Excel breakdowns which show the teams that had the greatest disparity in votes, or the divisions with the most "power".

New Patriots LB Victor Hobson has somewhat flown under the radar since joining the club last month. Hobson, who is working out in the team's offseason program, was the subject of a story in last week's Boston Globe.

Here is a bit more from Hobson, in Q&A style, from that interview:

You end up with the New England Patriots after five years with the Jets. Explain how that went down.
“The whole free agency process, it played itself out. I was waiting around, working out, making sure I was in shape through that whole period, just being with my family, seeing which teams were interested, which teams were serious, and which ones were just trying to feel their way around. It ended up that New England, they called, I talked to Coach Belichick and Scott [Pioli] and when I took a visit here, I felt at home.”

What other options/places were on the radar?
“There were other teams. I really wasn’t for naming the other teams before, but Arizona, and different teams showed interest. But it was just a matter of where I was going to feel comfortable. Being that I’m still on the East Coast, and I’m from the East Coast – born and raised – New England seemed like the perfect fit.”

No visits to other clubs?
“I didn’t. There was a lot more discussion than anything. New England was my first visit, and only visit.”

What was it like as a player when it was Patriots week? Did you find it was different?
“Yeah, a lot more uptight. It was a big game. The media is going to make sure you know it, the coaches are going to make sure you know it, and you have to make sure you know it yourself. It’s a big game, you can’t take anything away from that. At the same time, it’s our job to go out and perform and play.”

What are some of your first impressions of being in New England?
"I’m still in the getting-to-know-everybody phase. People are still coming back in and out. It’s good. It’s definitely a family-type atmosphere with the players. Everybody seems to be close and really enjoys working with each other, which is great to see, and great to be around. I’m still feeling my way around. Each day, I’m getting more and more comfortable with the guys. It’s good. I definitely don’t have any complaints at all.”

Any initial thoughts on the Patriots' defense?
“It's an intricate system, where everybody has to know what everybody else is doing. It involves a lot of thinking, which means everyone on the field has to be smart, has to be vocal, and has to be able to trust the person next to them to be able to do their job. That’s part of the system I like. That creates that family type of atmosphere throughout the defense and throughout the team.”

You played outside linebacker the last two years in the Jets' 3-4 scheme. It sounds like you'll be working more at inside linebacker in the Patriots' 3-4 scheme. Anyone specific that you’ve enjoyed watching on tape at inside linebacker?
“Going back into the past, guys like Teddy Johnson, he used to just crush the guards and whoever tried to block him. Watching [Tedy] Bruschi when I was younger, first coming into the league, watching the way he’s able to think on the field. People always say, he’s getting up there in age, but it’s not always about that. If you can think on the field, you’re able to continue playing and make plays like he has.”

How would you explain the difference between playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 and playing inside linebacker in the 3-4?
“There is a big difference. Given the system that I’ve been involved with the last couple years, the 3-4 system, outside and inside roles are very different. It’s just two different styles of play. On the outside, you’re going against an offensive tackle or tight end every play. So it’s almost like you’re a glorified defensive lineman. At the same time, you have to be able to pass rush, and defend the pass – sometimes you have to be able to drop and stand out there with a receiver. Outside linebacker is an interesting position in the system. The inside linebacker, from the outside looking in, they’re the guy that people look at and say ‘that’s just a linebacker, a typical linebacker – a guy who can go and hit the guard or blitz, or make this play.’”

From a big-picture standpoint, you’re entering your sixth year in the league and you’re on a one-year deal here. How do you balance the idea that you’re giving all you have to the Patriots, while also looking at the future?
“Given that it is a one-year deal, I think it’s a big opportunity for me to build and display what I’m able to do, and at the same time, an opportunity for the coaching staff here and management to see what I’m able to do, to actually analyze – ‘he can do this, he can do that, he can’t do that.’ I think it’s a great opportunity for us. It is going into my sixth year, and coming off last year, I don’t feel I was really as productive as I could have been at all actually. I’m looking forward to proving myself this year.”

Past games with the Jets here, what stands out to you? There have been some great ones in recent years.
“Very dynamic. You have to pay attention to detail. They’re good at what they do, and they do a lot of things. A lot of teams will be good at what they do, but they only do a couple things, so it’s easier to be good at those couple of things. When you take a team that is good at everything they do – and they’ve been together for a long time, it seems like they’ve been together forever – it’s hard to prepare for, it’s hard to play against.”

There was one game where both teams were shuttling guys in and out. It was like a chess match. …
“We had to. It’s almost like everybody has to be on top of everything. You have to pay attention to every little detail – ‘all right, this guy is going in, this guy is going out’ – otherwise you get left behind.”

You signed here, and then on draft day, the Patriots added three linebackers – one in the first round, one in the third round, one in the sixth round. What were your thoughts on that?
“I’m a very observant person, so even when I signed here, it was one of those things where it was a one-year deal, so I expected them to go and get a linebacker in the draft. From the business side of it, they would be doubted if they didn’t. You guys would be looking at them like ‘why didn’t you?’ You can only look at me and say ‘you can put him inside but he hasn’t proven himself.’ So there is a ‘what if?’ From a business standpoint, I understand that. Competition is good.”

A news tidbit seemed to escape most media outlets, that being the Patriots bringing in former Detroit running back Kevin Jones for a free agent visit. Jones was a first round draft pick in 2004, selected at #31 overall. The Patriots, at the time, were very high on Jones and, legend has it, were set to [...]

Matt Walsh, the controversial former video employee of the New England Patriots, has certified in writing that he is turning over eight stolen video tapes containing stolen signals from his time with the Pats. However, he does not have a tape containing video of the St. Louis Rams walk-through before Super Bowl XXXVI. This alleged [...]

Today Robert and Jonathan Kraft introduced the Patriots first round pick linebacker Jerod Mayo. The Kraft family have owned the Patriots for fifteen years and that was not lost during the introduction. “Welcome from the Kraft family. This is the 15th time we’re doing this,” Robert Kraft said in front of eight television cameras and about 20 [...]