ICBlog: Sports-central

We've moved to The Sports Central (IrishCentral)

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 01:54:37 PST

Avery Bradley's stuttering start to Boston Celtics career is no more (IrishCentral)

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 05:25:54 PST

When the Boston Celtics drafted Avery Bradley with the 19th pick of the 2010 draft, they acquired a developmental 19-year-old guard with more question marks than answers. Bradley had played point guard at Texas, but his inability to run an offense or be an impact scorer meant that his position amongst his professional piers was unclear.

New England Patriots - a case for keeping Brandon Lloyd (IrishCentral)

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 07:20:08 PST

Ever since the New England Patriots were beaten in the AFC Championship game by the Baltimore Ravens at the end of last season, there has been constant speculation surrounding the status of Brandon Lloyd. Lloyd didn't have the statistical impact that many expected when he signed with the Patriots, and the off-season has seen unnamed sources cite his behaviour as erratic during the year.

Tom Brady's contract extension puts pressure on New England Patriots to perform in short-term (IrishCentral)

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 05:34:57 PST

According to Sports Illustrated's Peter King, New England Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady signed a contract extension with the team this week. Brady's extension is for three seaons and is worth just $27 million. Considering the going rate for quarterbacks in today's NFL, that is significantly less than Brady could receive elsewhere and actually alleviates the pressure on the Patriots when it comes to cap concerns. Brady's deal will save the Patriots $15 million over the next two seasons, $8 million this year and $7 million next season.

Jeff Green's approach epitomizes Boston Celtics Post-Rajon Rondo (IrishCentral)

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 05:53:10 PST

Jeff Green is 26 years of age. He has been playing basketball from a young age and has played over 370 games as a professional during five seasons in the NBA. Green was considered the fifth best player in the draft of 2007, selected fifth overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder, while the Boston Celtics identified him as a key piece when they traded starting center Kendrick Perkins to the Thunder.

Wes Welker is New England Patriots' Only Franchise Tag Possibility (IrishCentral)

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 06:20:31 PST

As of Monday, the 19th of February, NFL teams are allowed to use their franchise and transition tags for the 2013 season. Although the tags can be applied to prospective free agents from now until early March, there is no rush for franchises to guarantee one of their players a top salary for next season. Players are unable to counter the franchise tag if it is used on them, while those same players are unable to talk to other franchises until free agency begins next month.

Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett Has Every Right To Keep No Trade Clause (IrishCentral)

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 07:04:24 PST

Kevin Garnett is 36 years old. He is under contract with the Boston Celtics for the next two seasons after this one. Garnett is not a part of the Boston Celtic's long-term future. Nor does he stand much chance of winning one more championship ring in the short-term. The chance that Garnett plays past this season is also relatively low. From every possible basketball angle, Garnett should be determined to leave the Celtics before the trade deadline this year.

Boston Celtics - Rajon Rondo to Leandro Barbosa to Delonte West? (IrishCentral)

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:43:10 PST

When Rajon Rondo suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier this season, veteran Leandro Barbosa followed in his footsteps by seamlessly stepping into his role as offensive protagonist at the point guard position. Unfortunately for the Celtics, Barbosa has taken his Rondo act one step too far, as he also tore his ACL and is now ruled out for the season.

New England Patriots Trade Analysis-Percy Harvin, Ryan Mallet (IrishCentral)

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 06:26:35 PST

Being that it is the off-season and this is Bill Belichick's New England Patriots, it's safe to always expect the aggressive when unsure about trade rumors. In recent years, the Patriots have made multiple high-profile trades both during the off-season and even once in the regular season. Aqib Talib, Chad Johnson(then Ochocinco), Albert Haynesworth, Nate Solder, Ras-I Dowling, Chandler Jones, Dont'a Hightower and Tavon Wilson have all been added to the Patriots' roster through trades in recent years.

Boston Celtics are forging a team to carry future (IrishCentral)

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 08:39:10 PST

It was a play that had been run thousands of times. Kevin Garnett was backing down Earl Clark in the post, before he gathered the ball and shifted away from the Los Angeles Laker player to knock down a fadeaway jumpshot from the top of the paint. It looked like any other of Garnett's career field goals, and it was just another two points in a game the Celtics would win comfortably, but this time the basket was special. It was special because those two points early in the second quarter last night, pushed Garnett over 25,000 points for his career. The long-time Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics forward became just the 16th player in NBA history to crack that milestone.

At 36 years of age, Garnett can feel proud of that historical footnote, but he likely won't...yet.

In typical Garnett fashion, he was reserved in his acknowledgement of the individual achievement. He took time out to raise his hand to each side of the crowd as they stood to applaud him, but his focus barely left the task at hand. The task at hand being an important victory over the Lakers. Even though the Lakers can't be considered a tough matchup for anyone this year, the Celtics needed to win last night in order to keep their post-Rondo momentum moving forward.

New England Patriots can't miss on free agent safety this season (IrishCentral)

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 05:23:58 PST

The New England Patriots know the pain that the San Francisco 49ers are in the process of enduring this week. Not only did they suffer the same disappointment two weeks ago, when their season ended without a Super Bowl ring, but they also suffered defeat when favored in last year's Super Bowl when they couldn't score a late touchdown. The 49ers somewhat beat themselves in the Super Bowl against the Baltimore Ravens, but when the Patriots lost to the Ravens it wasn't because of uncharacteristic mistakes. Injuries, coaching decisions and execution on the day played a part, but realistically, the Patriots simply didn't improve enough from 2012 in Indianapolis to 2013 in Foxboro.

How the Boston Celtics match up to the east's best teams without Rajon Rondo? (IrishCentral)

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:05:06 PST

It's difficult to really value the Boston Celtics' recent victory over the Sacramento Kings. Calling the Kings a bad basketball team isn't completely fair, they do have some level of talent in spite of their 17-30 record on the season. However, when they came to TD Garden on Wednesday night, they brought with them some of the worst play that has been on show all season. Highlights of the constant futility were multiple missed open layups, an inability to play team defense and a shooting percentage of 39 that was bloated by a second half of garbage time.

Rajon Rondo's injury shouldn't change the Boston Celtics short-term approach (IrishCentral)

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 05:43:45 PST

The king was slain. The major was shot. The ship's captain slipped off the deck and that rickety bridge snapped before the white knight could rescue the princess from the top of the tower. All of those disasters combined couldn't replicate the heart-sinking feeling of pure pessimism that overcame Boston Celtics fans this past Sunday.

New England Patriots' free agents offer opportunity to revamp wide receivers (IrishCentral)

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 08:46:32 PST

Almost a week on, the dust is finally beginning to settle on the New England Patriots' disappointing finish to the 2012 season. Fans are still trapped in the misery that comes with a failed season, but the organization itself is already collecting the pieces they can move forward with next season, while assessing what losses need to be replaced. The Patriots are typically an active team in the off-season, as Bill Belichick is always willing to explore all avenues that could potentially improve his team. This off-season should be similar as there are some key areas that need to be rebuilt.

One of those areas comes outside the numbers at the wide receiver position.

The New England Patriots - what caused the downfall of Tom Brady's team? (IrishCentral)

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 11:50:27 PST

For what feels like the 50th time in the past five years, the New England Patriots slumped to another defeat just short of their ultimate goal. A loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship in 2013 can be added to a Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants in 2012, a divisional round upset to the New York Jets in 2011, another loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wildcard Round in 2010 and that infamous Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants in 2008.

AFC Championship Game Preview - Baltimore Ravens v. New England Patriots (IrishCentral)

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 10:07:59 PST

Two teams driven by past failures will meet today in Foxboro for the AFC Championship game. For the Baltimore Ravens, the venue is the same. The Ravens' season came to a close at this point last year when Lee Evans couldn't fight off Sterling Moore for a last second touchdown, before Billy Cundiff pushed his field goal attempt outside of the posts. The New England Patriots celebrated that day, but two weeks later the pain would come. For the second time in five years, Tom Brady couldn't out-duel Eli Manning in the Super Bowl. Both teams still palpably feel that pain, which gives them both the motivation to battle ferociously today.

New England Patriots v. Baltimore Ravens - who needs to step up in the AFC Championship Game (IrishCentral)

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:47:31 PST

Roughly 12 months ago, then New England Patriots' defensive back Sterling Moore made the biggest play of the AFC Championship game. With the Patriots leading by just three points as the end of the game approached, the Baltimore Ravens were driving towards the endzone. On second and 14 with 27 seconds to go, Ravens' quarterback Joe Flacco threw the ball to the corner of the endzone where receiver Lee Evans was awaiting the football.

New England Patriots v. Baltimore Ravens - What has changed since last season's championship game? (IrishCentral)

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:32:03 PST

The 2012 AFC Championship has been set. After victories over the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens will meet in Foxboro next Sunday to decide what team will represent the conference in the Super Bowl. With those two franchises involved, thoughts must immediately meander back to last year's Championship game when these two teams did battle previously.

New England Patriots v. Houston Texans AFC divisional playoff preview (IrishCentral)

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 09:00:41 PST

A melancholic result on the first day of the NFL divisional round of the playoffs has offered the New England Patriots both added motivation to make the next round, as well as fair warning to those expecting an easy result in Foxboro. The Baltimore Ravens' overtime victory over the Denver Broncos shocked the NFL world and turned the AFC bracket of the playoffs on it's head.

Houston Texans Matt Schaub faces New England Patriots in legacy game (IrishCentral)

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 12:40:23 PST

For some time now, there has been a lot of debate about Houston Texans' quarterback Matt Schaub. As NFL fans, analysts and just as people in general, labelling people is seen as a necessity in identifying the capabilities of that person, whether it be playing football, teaching children or whatever walk of life a person chooses for themselves. For Matt Schaub, there are any number of labels that the masses are trying to stick to his helmet.

Houston Texans Must Change Offensive Approach for New England Patriots Clash (IrishCentral)

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 07:16:01 PST

Gary Kubiak is under pressure this week.

Having already beaten the Houston Texans earlier this season, the New England Patriots won't be intimidated by the prospect of facing them again in the AFC Divisional round this weekend. The Texans will travel to Foxboro after beating the Cincinnati Bengals in the wildcard round of the playoffs this past Saturday. As the second seed in the conference, the Patriots haven't played in two weeks and will have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs if they can avoid the Denver Broncos.

What will unnerve Bill Belichick during his week of preparation however, is how the Texans will approach the game. The Patriots proved that they had a sure gameplan to shut down the Houston side's regular approach during the regular season, but if the Texans feel confident enough in Matt Schaub and their young receivers, they could completely flip their offensive attack to take advantage of the Patriots' frailties.

New England Patriots Will Be Supporting the Cincinnati Bengals in Wildcard Weekend (IrishCentral)

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 04:45:29 PST

The Patriots can't do anything but stand by and watch this weekend.

With a convincing last regular season victory over the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots earned a second seed in the AFC Bracket of the 2012 playoffs. Because of the Houston Texans' final day loss to the Indianapolis Colts, both the Patriots and Denver Broncos were able to jump ahead of the AFC South side at the last second in order to claim the top two seeds. That guarantees the Patriots a home tie in the divisional round, but will have to travel to Denver should both sides reach the championship game.

Of course, that is a long way away as of yet because the Patriots don't even know who they will play in the divisional round just yet. The Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens face off this weekend in the wildcard round, but the Patriots are unable to play the Bengals in the next round no matter what happens. As the second seed, the Patriots will face the higher seed of the two teams who win this weekend.

That guarantees that the Patriots will play a team that they have already beaten at home this year, the Colts or Texans, or one that they suffered a close loss to away, the Ravens. The Patriots beat the Colts 59-24 in Week 11 and the Texans 42-14 in Week 14, while the Ravens won out in Baltimore in Week 3 by a scoreline of 31-30 with a last minute field goal. That field goal was one of the last games officiated by the replacement referees who were heavily questioned by Bill Belichick at the end of the game.

New England Patriots v. Miami Dolphins NFL Week 17 Preview (IrishCentral)

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 06:45:27 PST

Rob Gronkowski is expected to return today for the Patriots.

No matter the result of today's game, there will be a welcome sight at Foxboro as the New England Patriots expect to welcome back Rob Gronkowski. The tight end hasn't featured for the Patriots since their Week 11 home victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Late in that game Gronkowski broke his arm on an extra point and has missed the five weeks since recovering. Along with Gronkowski, the Patriots will also be welcoming Ryan Tannehill and the Miami Dolphins.

The Patriots already beat the Dolphins a matter of weeks ago without Gronkowski, so any contribution he makes today will be beneficial, but not necessary. The Dolphins did relatively well against the Patriots in Miami eventually losing out 23-16 in a tighter affair than most expected. Another unexpected 23-16 victory for the Patriots came last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Patriots weren't close to their best against the Jaguars, as they fell behind early to one of the worst teams in the league, so they should be determined this week to finish the regular season with a spark that could light the flames of victory for the playoffs.

At the very least, the Patriots' defense should rebound this week because the Dolphins don't have the big play threats of the Jaguars. The Jaguars were able to rip off chunks of yardage at a time with receptions of 36, 18, 53, 18 and 17 yards coming from their wide receivers. When the Dolphins last played the Patriots, they did have a handful of receptions over 20 yards, but never eclipsed 30. Tannehill doesn't have any real big play receiver to throw to and his best possession receiver, Davone Bess, has been ruled out for the game through injury. Containing Brian Hartline will be the Patriots' secondary's biggest challenge as they focus in on the running game.

Irish Sport's 10 Best Achievements and Moments of 2012 (IrishCentral)

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 03:30:23 PST

Rory McIlroy was as big a star as anyone in 2012

The 2012 calendar year for Irish sports fans was one filled with glorious moments of sheer delight as well as gutting moments of despair and disappointment. National pride took its hits and blows repeatedly, but some athletes kept fighting through the blows to deliver what fans' dreams were made of.

10. Underdogs Ulster Reach Heineken Cup Final.
Ireland's recent struggles as an international footballing powerhouse(!) have opened the doors to this other sport known as rugby. A sport at which the Irish international teams have recently dominated at different levels. The International team has had its ups and downs over the past few years, but there has been a level of consistency at the provincial level that has surpassed all expectations. Leinster have become the most feared club side in the world, but their counterparts in the North, Ulster, have timed their rise to prominence perfectly as Munster appear to slide out of relevance. Ulster shocked European Rugby this year when they marched their way into the 2012 Heineken Cup Final, only to be beaten by an unstoppable Leinster side. With youth on their side however, the future appears bright for this province.

New England Patriots v Jacksonville Jaguars NFL week 16 preview (IrishCentral)

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 06:45:15 PST

Following a Week 15 that gave the New England Patriots the present of the San Francisco 49ers, along with a loss to bring their fans back down to earth, Week 16 offers the team a much less enticing, but also less challenging matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars have one of the worst records in the NFL with 12 losses already locked down, in fact nobody has a worse record but the Kansas City Chiefs do match their two wins all season.

The Jaguars' two victories this year were uninspiring also. A late Cecil Shorts' touchdown allowed them to sneak past the Colts in Indianapolis early in the year, while their only home victory all season came against the Tennessee Titans, who have had almost as underwhelming a season. The Jaguars haven't been helped my multiple losses of key players. Quarterback Blaine Gabbert and running-back Maurice Jones-Drew get most of the attention, but the early hits losing Laurent Robinson, Will Rackley and Daryl Smith all significantly hurt the team also.

Boston Celtics: A Trade Would Make Sense for the Celtics (IrishCentral)

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 04:31:48 PST

Is Courtney Lee already on his way out in Boston?

When the Boston Celtics concluded their business during this most recent NBA off-season, head coach Doc Rivers found himself with a glut of shooting guards to fit into his rotation. After losing Ray Allen, the Celtics brought in Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, and Leandro Barbosa to bolster their perimeter play. Since the beginning of the season, Barbosa has started just one game, while Courtney Lee started nine games earlier this season before Jason Terry took over to start 16 games. Terry is averaging over 30 minutes per game, while Courtney Lee averages over 24 and Barbosa just 12.5.

The Celtics won't be disappointed with any of their new additions at the position so far, but with Avery Bradley closing in on a return from a shoulder injury he suffered last season, there will be one guard too many on the roster. With Rajon Rondo averaging over 37 minutes per game at the moment, a number that is only likely to grow as the season gets older, the Celtics are essentially looking to rotate two players into the shooting guard position and one player into both the shooting guard position and point guard.

Read NFL stories on IrishCentral

Patriots v. 49ers NFL Week 15 Preview (IrishCentral)

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 03:01:49 PST


Aldon Smith Will be determined to force his way into Tom Brady's face tonight

After dismantling the defense of the Houston Texans, with about the same level of strain as it takes for Bill Belichick to cut the sleeves off of his hoodies, the New England Patriots face another test that at the very least appears tough on paper. The San Francisco 49ers are first in the NFC West with a 9-3-1 record so far this season. They are second in the seeding for the NFC playoffs and rank first in points allowed on defense, second in yards allowed, rushing yards allowed and passing yards allowed. Even though they had one of the best records in the league at the time, with a quarterback, Alex Smith, who was playing good football before being concussed, the 49ers' have a head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who was willing to change his starter to who he perceived to be hot-handed quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. They also visit Foxboro tonight.

Despite how hyped every single football fan in Boston will feel after Monday's dominant display that led to a 42-14 victory over a team perceived as being one of the best in the league, the Patriots can't overlook the 49ers or they face the prospect of being on the wrong side of a similar scoreline. While it's easy to play when you're winning, the fact that the Patriots face one of the most physically intimidating teams in the whole league on a short week of work and recovery cannot be overlooked. The Patriots executed perfectly against the Texans and noted that they took advantage of having the extra day to prepare for the game, that extra day now falls to the 49ers who are coming off of a victory at home over the Miami Dolphins from Sunday.

Despite his lack of experience compared to Alex Smith or even Matt Schaub, Jim Harbaugh has put his coaching future in the hands of Colin Kaepernick for this type of game. Kaepernick is an explosive athlete who has had his ups and downs so far since being named the starter, but his ability to pick apart a defense with his arm or make big plays with his feet at any given time are unquestioned. Having him under center offers the 49ers the dynamism and downfield ability that the Texans lacked last week. The 49ers were comfortably steamrolling lesser teams with Alex Smith at the helm of the offense, but in a game such as this one, when they can't expect to dominate defensively, they will need the young quarterback to put points on the board.

New England Patriots - The defenses that can stop Tom Brady (IrishCentral)

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 04:46:37 PST

To beat the Patriots you need to have consistent pressure and excellent coverage without sacrificing quality run stopping. In essence, you need to have an elite defense. To be the best you have to beat the best. So while the Patriots are the favorites right now, it means nothing until they prove that they can get past every obstacle that emerges between now and February.

New England Patriots v. Houston Texans Monday Night Football Preview, Injury Report (IrishCentral)

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 08:46:41 PST

Arian Foster will be expecting a big performance against the Patriots

Along with an 11-1 record, the Houston Texans bring a superstar running-back, Arian Foster, a historically good wide receiver, Andre Johnson, a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback, Matt Schaub, the best left tackle in the NFL, Duane Brown, the best defensive end in the NFL, JJ Watt, and a top-ranked defense to Foxboro for Monday Night Football. So in other words, the Houston Texans are bringing a lot with them to face the New England Patriots.

Despite locking up their playoff spot last week, the Patriots will be desperate to beat their AFC counterparts for multiple reasons. The first is obvious, the Texans are the Patriots' main rivals for home-field advantage and are currently leading them by two victories on the season. If they can win this game they will put pressure on the AFC South side to continue to win throughout the rest of the season or face the prospect of playing a playoff game in Foxboro later this year. Furthermore, outside of the Colts, the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals, otherwise known as the teams competing for the AFC North division crown, all lost. That gives the Patriots an opportunity to put a stranglehold on a first round bye with victory over the Texans.

New England Patriots Face Biggest Test of Season So Far in Houston Texans (IrishCentral)

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:16:30 PST

JJ Watt is a Potential MVP Winner

With the top two offenses in the NFL facing off on Monday night, the New England Patriots and Houston Texans are averaging a combined 65 points per game, every NFL fan in the world will have their eyes glued to what could easily be the best game of the regular season. One would expect that the fans of the two teams who will actually compete in the game may be less interested, because both teams have already sealed a playoff spot, but that certainly isn't the case for the New England Patriots.

Having rolled their way, at times into a pothole or two, to a 9-3 record on the season, the Patriots have already sealed the division crown in the AFC East. That said, they are still competing with multiple teams for playoff seeding, including the Texans. Regardless of their spot of entry for the playoffs, the Patriots will be desperate to perform well in this game because it represents their toughest test of the whole year.

Outside of beating their lowly division rivals, the Patriots have faced the Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams and Indianapolis Colts, the Patriots' two closest competition for playoff preparation were likely the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos. The Ravens beat the Patriots by just a point at home in a game that could have easily went the other way. Even though the Ravens, Seahawks and Cardinals beat the Patriots this year, none of those teams really reflect the class of the NFL. The Cardinals caught the Patriots with crucial turnovers, the Ravens snuck by with a questionable field goal while the Seahawks only won by a point, but did so convincingly at home. The Seahawks are an unpredictable outfit at times however. The Patriots did beat Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos, but the Broncos were still coming together at that point of the season while Manning was only re-establishing himself as a starting quarterback.

New England Patriots' Approach Over Final Four Weeks is Vital For Playoff Success (IrishCentral)

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 02:16:37 PST

The Patriots can't afford to lose Tom Brady, especially at this time of the year

Just a few weeks ago, the New England Patriots were involved in a mini-controversy when Rob Gronkowski was injured on an extra point play against the Indianapolis Colts. Many argued that Gronkowski should have been long pulled because the Patriots were well ahead with nowhere near enough time for the Colts to make a comeback.

Fast forward to today, and the Patriots appear to be dealing with the same issues. Victory over the Miami Dolphins this weekend, while not convincing, was enough to guarantee the team a playoff spot. While it is a welcome sight to win the division after just 12 weeks, it also leaves the Patriots with trying to balance their injury depleted roster against the value of a higher playoff seeding.

By winning the division, the Patriots are guaranteed to be at least fourth in the seeding for the playoffs. However with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens standing on the same record and the Houston Texans just two games out in front, Bill Belichick will feel that a first round bye is within the team's grasp. The Broncos and Ravens play each other before the end of the season, so the Patriots will be guaranteed to be at worst a third seed if they win out the rest of the season. Furthermore, the Patriots beat the Broncos earlier this season, so if the Ravens lose to the Broncos, and both the Broncos and Patriots have the same record to finish the season, the Patriots will be able to skip the wildcard round and earn homefield advantage for at least one game.

Miami Dolphins v. New England Patriots NFL Preview (IrishCentral)

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 06:16:22 PST

Rookie Ryan Tannehll has had an up-and-down season.

The New England Patriots travel to face the Miami Dolphins in an important AFC East NFL matchup, as the Patriots try to wrap up a playoff berth with a victory. Despite a close victory over the Seattle Seahawks last week, the Dolphins have been enduring some significant struggles behind the leadership of rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill as of late. The Dolphins are 1-3 in their last four games, while Tannehill has thrown three touchdowns to a monumental six interceptions during that time with one fumble.

Having being much better earlier this season, the Dolphins are very much an unknown quantity entering this game. They could continue to limp through four quarters of football, or they could prove to be the upstart unit that was 4-3 at one point during the regular season. The Dolphins will go as far as Tannehill can take them, but much of the rookie quarterback's struggles this season haven't been a result of his individual play, but the struggles of his teammates on offense.

After trading Brandon Marshall in the off-season, the Dolphins' front office never truly replaced him. As such, Tannehill has spent this season throwing passes to Davone Bess and Brian Hartline primarily. Hartline and Bess are decent receivers, but neither are legitimate number one pass catchers or, more importantly, deep threats to soften the coverage on the backend. With the Patriots' new and seemingly improved secondary, most significantly Aqib Talib at cornerback and Devin McCourty at safety. McCourty and Talib have been impressive in their new roles with the team so far, but will be looking to continue those performances to establish some form of longevity.

New England Patriots Continue to Lose Pieces - Jermaine Cunningham Suspended (IrishCentral)

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 06:01:22 PST

Jermaine Cunningham is just another player unavailable to the Patriots.

With rookie defensive end Chandler Jones still on the sideline, the New England Patriots were dealt a cruel blow today when fellow defensive end Jermaine Cunningham was handed a four game suspension for violating the league's performance enhancing drugs policy. Losing Cunningham and Jones puts pressure on off-season free agent acquisition Trevor Scott as well as the team's revamped secondary.

Scott hasn't registered a sack all season long and has only been on the field for 110 snaps. He has come close on occasion, but for the most part Scott has proven to be a disappointing addition for a defense lacking any proven pass rusher. The performances of Jones had overshadowed the Patriots inability to get to the quarterback throughout this year, as he has consistently pressured the quarterback all season long while also notching six sacks on the year. Outside of Jones, Rob Ninkovich has seven sacks but doesn't get the same consistent pressure.

Ninkovich and Cunningham started last week, when Cunningham had a season high six tackles and both were kept off the quarterback all game. Against the Miami Dolphins this weekend, the Patriots don't figure to do much better because the Dolphins have a better line overall than the Jets. With Aqib Talib now inserted at cornerback and Devin McCourty moved to safety, the team's secondary has somewhat solidified itself. Unfortunately for the Patriots, their secondary is built to take advantage of pressure rather than shut down receivers and give the pass rushers time.

Thanksgiving NFL - New York Jets v. New England Patriots Preview (IrishCentral)

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 05:31:40 PST

Can Aaron Hernandez replace Rob Gronkowski?

During a season in which both the New England Patriots and New York Jets have endured setback after setback, the teams face off against each other for the second time after the Patriots suffered their biggest loss of the season. To this point, the list of players who have missed time or not been there when their teams hoped to have them includes Brian Waters, Robert Gallery, Logan Mankins, Julian Edelman, Aqib Talib, Pat Chung, Steve Gregory, Brandon Bolden, Aaron Hernandez, Dont'a Hightower, Chandler Jones, Stephen Hill, Santonio Holmes, Darrelle Revis, Sione Pouha, Bart Scott, Bryan Thomas and Rob Gronkowski.

Of all the losses both teams have had to deal with, none have been greater than Darrelle Revis' torn ACL and Rob Gronkowski's broken arm. Both players are scheme defining players who have had their units built around them. In Revis' case, he was lost for the season after just two starts and three weeks. Without him the Jets were forced to adjust on defense, but the impressive play of Antonio Cromartie eased the transition. No longer could they completely forget about one side of the field, but they could trust him to trail receivers.

Gronkowski may have only broken his arm, and is expected to return for the end of the regular season or the playoffs, but for the short term, he will be a significantly worse loss than Revis. The Patriots' whole offensive scheme is built around Gronkowski's ability to dominate in both the running and passing game. He is both the offense's primary receiver and the equivalent to a sixth offensive linemen on the field at all times. His ability to beat one-on-one matchups breaks down coverages and prevents teams from blitzing, while also allowing the running game to create numbers advantages.

Rob Gronkowski Injured at the Worst Time for New England Patriots (IrishCentral)

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:31:10 PST

Rob Gronkowski will likely miss the rest of the regular season.

The debate over the New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski and whether he should have been playing during the fourth quarter of last weekend's convincing victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Gronkowski broke his arm on the team's final extra point in a 59-24 rout of their AFC rivals. Bill Belichick has always kept his starters in games for as long as possible to seize every opportunity to improve continuity and execute on offense. That style of coaching brings with it inevitable injury risks.

Much more important than the debate over whether Belichick should coach like that or not, is the Patriots' preparation for the New York Jets without Gronkowski this week. The Patriots don't have all week to design a gameplan without Gronkowski, they will face off against the Jets on Thanksgiving day this Thursday. Because players need time to recuperate after any game, the Patriots have a very tight window to overcome the loss of one of their most important players.

Offensively, Gronkowski is a vital piece for the scheme and execution. His ability to be a matchup nightmare, as he showed off against the Colts with seven easy receptions on seven targets for two touchdowns and 137 yards, restricts what opposing defenses can do against the passing game. When Gronkowski is on the field, it is almost impossible to play straight up man coverage. Whenever the Colts attempted to do so on Sunday, Brady immediately looked Gronkowski' direction for an easy completion and good gain.

Preview: New England Patriots v. Indianapolis Colts (IrishCentral)

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 07:17:02 PST

While it is often media hype that pits two quarterbacks against each other in head-to-head matchups between football teams, this game is the epitome of a quarterback battle as both Andrew Luck and Tom Brady will be able to take advantage of weak defenses in Foxboro. Because Luck has struggled to maintain his consistency on the road, Patriots fans will likely feel very confident entering today's game.

New England Patriots - What Exactly do the Patriots Face in Andrew Luck? (IrishCentral)

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:31:00 PST


Andrew Luck is looking for a staple victory on the road this weekend.

The New England Patriots(6-3) welcome the surprise Indianapolis Colts(6-3) to Foxboro this weekend in what will be a very unfamiliar fixture. Even though the Patriots have endured a long-standing rivalry with the Colts, stemming from the Tom Brady-Peyton Manning years, this season's matchup is much more David v. Goliath than Zeus v. Hades.

Coming off of a season that finished with 2-14, with a combination of Curtis Painter and Kerry Collins under center and a less than inspiring coaching staff on the sidelines, the Colts hit the reset button this off-season by clearing house. Releasing Peyton Manning was expected, but still a huge move while Jim Caldwell was then replaced by former Baltimore Ravens' head coach Chuck Pagano. Pagano has since been diagnosed with a treatable form of Leukemia that has withdrawn him from the Colts' offices. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians has stepped into an interim head coaching role since.

Arians was brought to the Colts in the off-season to look over the development of the team's new face of the franchise, Andrew Luck. Luck was the first overall pick in this year's draft out of Stanford after rating as arguably the best college prospect in history. Since joining the professional ranks, the grades and observations have been less superlative filled, but only slightly. You see the Colts brought Arians back to the organization after he helped Peyton Manning familiarize himself with the league when he was a rookie.

New England Patriots - Soft Schedule Works For and Against Defense (IrishCentral)

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:00:58 PST

The Indianapolis Colts' Andrew Luck is next up on the schedule

The New England Patriots were somewhat let off the hook by the Buffalo Bills this weekend, as they escaped a game winning drive from Ryan Fitzpatrick when he threw an interception to Devin McCourty. For McCourty it was his third Fitzpatrick interception of the season, for the rest of the Patriots, it was the life boat inflating 28 seconds before the ship sank.

For the second time this season, Ryan Fitzpatrick's inability to play the quarterback position was the difference between the Bills and Patriots owning a victory. Even though the Patriots are standing at 6-3 and logically you would expect them to be confident of another deep playoff run, it's a tough sell to fans of the team right now. Of the team's six victories, two have been close games against two of the worse teams in the league, the Bills and New York Jets, while some still haven't gotten over the loss to the Arizona Cardinals at home.

It's very difficult to define this Patriots team right now. Injuries have stalled the offense, while the defense is in it's expected tatters on the back-end. Giving up 22.3 points per game isn't acceptable for a potential Super Bowl winner, but fans have learned to live with it as of late. Scoring 33.2 points per game, and ranking first in the league, doesn't feel as good because of the teams the Patriots have stockpiled points against. The Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams and Bills again are the only teams the Patriots have scored at least 33 points against. None of them figure to make it to the playoffs.

Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots NFL Week 10 Preview (IrishCentral)

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 06:01:05 PST

After their bye week, the New England Patriots face off against the Buffalo Bills today looking to keep their journey towards another AFC East crown on track. Victory over the St. Louis Rams in London allowed the Patriots to move to a 5-3 record, while the Buffalo Bills lost to the Houston Texans to move to 3-5.

The Bills' 3-5 record already includes a loss to the Patriots, when Brandon Bolden's breakout performance helped the Patriots to a 52-28 victory. Since then Bolden has only tallied 82 rushing yards since then, before being suspended four games for violated the league's substance abuse policy. Despite Bolden's disappearance, the Patriots have continued to run a balanced offense.

Yet, it is not a player who has just been suspended, rather a player who is just coming off suspension who will attract all of the attention of Patriots' fans this week. Aqib Talib is set to make his debut for the Patriots after the team traded for the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers' cornerback at the deadline just over a week ago. Talib brings a physical presence to the Patriots' secondary and shifts Devin McCourty from starting cornerback to starting free safety.

Boston Celtics - Team Won't Define Itself until Late in Season (IrishCentral)

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 07:00:52 PST

The Boston Celtics have stuttered out of the blocks for the 2012-13 NBA Regular Season. After four games in little more than a week, the Celtics have a record of 2-2. A loss on opening night to the Miami Heat wasn't overly disappointing, but the Celtics were exposed on the night as the Heat played better team basketball.

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that the Heat were a team with much better chemistry and decisiveness because the Celtics are still trying to find themselves. With seven new active players on the roster, the Celtics are still defining roles for players and settling on a rotation. At different times of the year the rotations will adjust to keep older players like Kevin Garnett fresh, but first Doc Rivers must find his best combinations.

One of those new faces has already forced a lineup change. Rookie first round draft pick Jared Sullinger has already forced his way into the starting lineup, just a handful of games into his career. Sullinger replaced Brandon Bass after the team started off 0-2, the second loss coming against the Milwaukee Bucks. Even though Bass has dropped to the bench, he has remained a prominent piece of the rotation notching 28 and 33 minutes from the bench. Sullinger has jumped from averaging 13 minutes per game to 26 as a starter.

New England Patriots move Devin McCourty to safety -- expected to start Aqib Talib (IrishCentral)

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 06:30:54 PST

That leaves the Patriots with two decisions to make regarding starters in the secondary. Choosing the second safety should be significantly easier though as Patrick Chung is a better fit with McCourty over rooke Tyler Wilson. Chung hasn't lived up to his draft stock throughout his career, but is more likely to start than veteran Steve Gregory. Whoever is starting with McCourty, they will need to improve their own personal level of production.

New England Patriots Bye Week - What to Watch for Around the NFL Week 9 (IrishCentral)

Sun, 04 Nov 2012 06:45:49 PST

It's that time of the season. The time when two weeks feels like two months. No football fan enjoys the bye week, but for the New England Patriots franchise, they'll be delighted to have it. The Patriots enter the bye week after a convincing victory over the St. Louis Rams in London, so are happy to avoid playing a game this weekend after enduring so much travel.

That serves as little comfort to the thousands, maybe millions, of fans across the world who want to watch their team today. Instead of watching the Patriots, you can do many things. You could cut the grass, clean the windows, walk the dog, go to the gym or...heaven knows...take the wife/girlfriend out to dinner. But since all of those tasks sound incredibly boring and completely unrelated to the Patriots, instead you could sit inside and watch the rest of the NFL. Except, do so with your favourite team in mind.

Here is a guide of how to watch the bye week as a Patriots fan.

Boston Celtics NBA 2012 Tip-Off - Meet the Roster (IrishCentral)

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 02:00:41 PDT

In a lockout shortened 2011-12 NBA season, the Boston Celtics defied the expectations of most onlookers with an impressive run in the playoffs. After getting past the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers in two tough series, the Celtics' season was ended by Lebron James and the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. James' team would continue past the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals to be crowned the league's champions.

NFL London 2012 - New England Patriots v. St. Louis Rams Preview (IrishCentral)

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 06:30:38 PDT

For the second time in recent history, the New England Patriots will play a regular season NFL game in London this weekend. Instead of facing off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Patriots this time face off against the St. Louis Rams in Wembley stadium.

When the Patriots played the Buccaneers in 2009, they ran out easy 35-7 winners. After finding out that this time it was the Rams who they would play, fans could be forgiven for expecting a similar blowout.

In recent times there hasn't been a less efficient franchise in the NFL than the St. Louis Rams. Entering this season, the Rams had a record of 10-38 over the past three seasons. During those years, the Rams were led by then head coach Steve Spagnuolo. However, Spagnuolo's teams were so futile that the Rams replaced him in the off-season with Jeff Fisher.

NFL London 2012 - Aaron Hernandez Could Prove to be an Important Loss (IrishCentral)

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 11:30:34 PDT

New England Patriots Tight End Aaron Hernandez has been ruled out of the team's game with the St. Louis Rams this weekend. Both international Patriots fans and fans of the 31 other franchises outside of the Rams will be very disappointed that Hernandez hasn't traveled with the team because of his ankle injury.

Hernandez' ankle injury has limited him from cutting as he continues his rehabilitation despite playing in recent weeks. While the Patriots won't fear the Rams without Hernandez, he could prove to be an important loss.

The Rams are not yet power houses of the league, but their defense is substantially better at this point than it was last year. An off-season of investment in their secondary has resulted in the team having some of the better cover cornerbacks in the whole league. Janoris Jenkins and Cortland Finnegan have proven to be very physical and productive cornerbacks who can be trusted in single coverage with opposing receivers.

New England Patriots Continue to Limp Through Season (IrishCentral)

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 09:15:29 PDT

Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat is a trait often associated with true champions. Winning when everything goes against you or when you are at your worst is an aspect of sports that is reserved for only the best of teams. Right now it would be generous to give the New England Patriots that tag.

The Patriots outlasted the New York Jets this past Sunday evening to take a one game lead in the AFC East. Despite the victory, the Patriots are still only 4-3 after a season when some people predicted them to go 16-0.

Now while 16-0 was always a pipe dream, the team is definitely not reaching it's own lofty expectations coming into the season. Injuries during the season and so much turnover before the season even began certainly hasn't helped. Bill Belichick was hoping to keep a balance of veteran and youthful players on his offensive line, but the retirements of Robert Gallery and Brian Waters as well as the persistent injury problems for Logan Mankins have restricted Belichick to a less experienced unit upfront.

New York Jets @ New England Patriots NFL Week 7 Preview (IrishCentral)

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 05:30:46 PDT

The New York Jets travel to face the New England Patriots in Foxboro today in a battle between two 3-3 teams in the AFC East. After the Patriots fell to a comeback defeat to the Seattle Seahawks last week, when they made uncharacteristic mistakes to lose the game, the Patriots will be desperate to make a statement in their first matchup with their biggest division rivals of recent times.

Even though the Jets are coming to Boston off the back of a big victory over the Indianapolis Colts, this team does not resemble the Jets' teams of the past who repeatedly went to the playoffs. Against the better teams on their schedule so far, the Jets have been convincingly beaten two out of three games. The Pittsburgh Steelers trashed the Jets in Week 2 by 27 to 10, before the San Francisco 49ers shut out the offense and dismantled the defense in a 34-0 win in New York. Even when the Jets played well, they still lost to the Houston Texans by six points.

New England Patriots pass offensive test but problems in secondary stand out against Seattle Seahawks (IrishCentral)

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 05:30:30 PDT

A familiar adversary dealt the first blow for the Seattle Seahawks on their way to a comeback victory over the New England Patriots in Week 6. Braylon Edwards touchdown catch against Alfonzo Dennard brought the Seahawks within 23-17, before Sidney Rice split the Patriots safeties on a massive touchdown reception to seal a 24-23 victory.

In a game where the Patriots were facing their biggest test on offense of the short season so far, it was their defense that failed to hold onto a significant lead in the second half. The Seahawks defense held the Patriots offense in check during the second half, but that was after giving up 20+ points in the first half.

New England Patriots Face the Seattle Seahawks For Much More than a Regular Season Win - Preview (IrishCentral)

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 05:30:17 PDT

The New England Patriots travel to Seattle today looking to earn much more than just another regular season victory. Over the past few weeks, in games against the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills, the Patriots have reattached the mantra of being the best offense in the NFL to their team. However, in Seattle the Seahawks pride themselves on a defense that is giving up just 14 points per game.

Not only are the Seahawks only giving up the equivalent of two touchdowns on every outing, they also lead the league giving up the least amount of yards and have already dismantled the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers' defenses at home this year. If the Patriots can go into CenturyLink Field and dominate this defense, then they will be the most feared offense in the NFL.

What makes that task even more difficult than what it appears to be on the surface, is that the Seahawks are an incredibly physical team who have the ability to take away the Patriots' mismatch advantages that they enjoy against most teams. Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman are two of the biggest cornerbacks in the NFL, but they could also be the two best. Sherman and Browner both have the agility to move with Wes Welker or the size to handle Rob Gronkowski.

Forget Brandon Bolden or Tom Brady, Dante Scarnecchia is the reason the New England Patriots offense is on top (IrishCentral)

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 02:30:15 PDT

And he's doing it perfectly.