FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — For the first time in three years, the Patriots won’t enter the off-season following a Super Bowl appearance.
Now the franchise that has hoisted six Lombardi trophies faces questions it has rarely had to address during its run of success over the past two decades.
Tom Brady’s future in New England is the biggest unknown. The 42-year-old quarterback says it’s unlikely he will retire, but also acknowledged following Saturday’s 20-13 wild-card loss to Tennessee that nothing is certain regarding where he could suit up next season.
“I love the Patriots. I mean, they obviously — this is the greatest organization. Playing for Mr. (Robert) Kraft all these years and for coach (Bill) Belichick, there’s nobody that’s had a better career, I would say, than me,” Brady said. “I don’t know what the future looks like and I’m not going to predict it.”
Belichick said there was no timeline on making a decision on Brady, but conceded the six-time Super Bowl champions’ situation is unique.
“Everybody’s situation is different,” Belichick said. “Certainly, Tom is an iconic figure in this organization. And nobody respects Tom more than I do.”
Meanwhile, the futures of several players that made up the core of the Patriots’ most recent run of Super Bowl also are up in the air.
The list includes safety Devin McCourty special teams captain Matt Slater, linebacker Kyle Van Noy and offensive lineman Joe Thuney. Multiple teams are also expected to take another run at luring away offensive co-ordinator Josh McDaniels.
Van Noy said Sunday that where he plays football 2020 has crossed his mind.
“Of course. If I told you I didn’t, I’d be lying,” he said. “But right now, this is sit back and wait, get better in the off-season — which I’ve done each and every year. This time is gonna be nothing different.”
Following an 8-0 start, the Patriots lost four of their final five games to end the season. It’s an uncharacteristic finish for a team that had reached at least the AFC championship in each of the previous eight seasons.
“Certainly, when the season doesn’t end the way that you want it to, it is like a crash landing. It is very emotional,” Slater said. “But the reality is that it is going to end like this for all but one team and, unfortunately, this year we aren’t that team.”
WHAT’S WORKING
The Patriots’ biggest strength in 2019 was clearly a defence that allowed a league-low 14.1 points per game during the regular season and had an NFL-best plus-21 turnover differential. Assuming changes are on the way on the offensive side of the ball with or without Brady, New England must do what it can to ensure it retains enough of its defensive core.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
Offensively, if Brady does stay he’ll need more playmakers around him than he had this season. That will probably mean spending some money on revamping the receiving group yet again. The offensive line had injury issues, but building more depth there also should be a priority.
STOCK UP
Van Noy followed up a strong 2018 season with a productive 2019. He finished second on the team with 6 1/2 sacks and was fifth with 56 total tackles, including a fumble return for a TD. He figures to garner a lot of attention on the open market and it will be interesting to see how much the Patriots are willing to keep such an integral part of this defence on the roster.
STOCK DOWN
Receiver Julian Edelman has experienced some of the highest points of his career over the past four years. He made huge plays during the Patriots’ historic Super Bowl comeback against Atlanta in the Super Bowl following the 2016 season and won Super Bowl MVP honours in New England’s victory last season against the Rams.
He led the Patriots during the 2019 regular season with 100 receptions, 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. But nagging injuries took a toll on him late in the season. He was mostly a non-factor in Saturday’s loss to Tennessee, catching just three passes for 30 yards on five targets.
KEY NUMBER
1-3 — That was Belichick’s record this season against his former assistants. Belichick entered 2019 with a 14-10 record against Al Groh, Eric Mangini, Jim Schwartz, Romeo Crennel, Nick Saban, McDaniels, Bill O’Brien, Matt Patricia, Brian Flores and Vrabel. In addition to Saturday’s loss to Tennessee, he split during the regular season with Flores, including the regular-season finale loss that dropped the Patriots to the wild-card round. He also lost to O’Brien’s Texans. Belichick went 0-2 during last season’s Super Bowl run, losing regular-season matchups with Patricia and Vrabel.
HOW TO GET IT RIGHT
Tough decisions await Belichick and not much will be known about what direction he plans to take until Brady’s future in New England is resolved.
Jimmy Garoppolo seemed to be the franchise’s heir apparent at quarterback before he was traded to San Francisco in 2017. The coaching staff likes Jarrett Stidham, who was drafted in 2019 and beat out Brian Hoyer to be Brady’s backup in the preseason. But Stidham threw just four passes during his first NFL regular season, so putting the offence in his hands next season would signal a complete rebuild on offence.
Throughout his time in New England, Belichick hasn’t been shy about moving on from players he felt were past their prime or seeking contracts that exceeded value in relation to their age.
While it seemed before this season there was no chance Brady would join that list, the offence’s shortcomings this season could cause Belichick to reassess his thoughts about a quarterback that will be 43 years old at the start of next season.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
