By: Phil Shore, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer
Bill Belichick has been the centerpiece of the Patriots dynasty since being hired as head coach in 2000. As a member of the Bill Parcells coaching tree one of his strengths has been the NFL draft. So here we will take a look at the Patriots’ top five draft picks in the Bill Belichick era.
I know you think Tom Brady will be number one on this list, and normally you’d be right. The quarterback from Michigan was drafted in the sixth round, number 199 overall has won an MVP, two Super Bowl MVPs, and has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times.
Yes, he is the coach’s and the team’s best draft pick ever. So it would be too easy to name him number one.
So I left him off. It makes it more interesting. The picks will start at the 5th best and countdown to number 1 (a different number one besides Brady).
5. Julian Edelman, WR. Drafted: 2009, seventh round, number 232 overall.
The quarterback from Kent State that many felt the Patriots took to possibly run the Wild Cat was turned into a wide receiver and a mini-Wes Welker when the real version went down [...]

Patriot fans at Devaney’s, a sports pub in Orlando, FL react to the demise of the Pat’s season. Thanks to them, for being awesome, and making me feel like I was home in Boston while on vacation. I think this covers the event better than anything else could. -Jess Lander, YawkeyTalkies Editor

By: Jess Lander, YawkeyTalkies Editor
Well, at least the Celtics won today?
This was probably the worst performance we’ve seen from the Patriots all season. And maybe all decade. Home was supposed to be where we were safe, undefeated there all season, undefeated there in playoffs all-time with Brady as our leader. We also had never lost to Baltimore before. All the statistics said the Pats should have had that in the bag.
But we looked like we were in foreign, hostile territory. On the first play of the game, the Ravens’ Ray Rice ran for an 83-yard touchdown. Five minutes into the game it was already 14-0. Three turnovers for Brady in the first quarter which ended 24-0, one fumble and three interceptions for him throughout the game.
Maybe they just couldn’t do it without Welker. Maybe it was Brady with three broken ribs. But either way, the Patriots got rocked. All of the Patriots. Brady was a mere 23 for 42 with just 154 yards. Moss, our go to without Welker, only caught five passes all game for 48 yards. The defense allowed 234 yards rushing. Belichick punted when the Pats desperately needed to go for points.
Welker’s replacement Edelman [...]

By: JessLander, YawkeyTalkies Editor.
So, in case you turned off your TV because you assumed the Patriots had it in the bag yesterday, they failed to close, again. Right when we thought they had made up for fumbling on the line for a Houston touchdown with a fourteen-point lead, the Pats defense let the Texans stomp into their territory for three touchdowns and the win (the game-winner coming off of an interception). The final score was 34-27.
Luckily though, the Patriots weren’t the Giants (lost 44-7), the Eagles (lost 24-0, dropping to a Wildcard 6th seed), the Colts (lost 30-7 to the BILLS), or the Bengals (lost 37-0 allowing the Jets in the playoffs) . They also weren’t one of the five AFC teams that had their playoff hopes dashed yesterday. I’m sure the Patriots are also okay enough losing to Houston since they still have a spot in the playoffs and Houston, well doesn’t. The glass can always be half full.
The bigger scare of the day was actually in the first quarter when Wes Welker left the game with an injury. Reports now say that Welker tore both his MCL and ACL in his knee, and is most likely out for [...]