By: Phil Shore, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer
In-season trades involving high-profile players are pretty typical. Contending teams pick up big-time talent from teams with no shot in exchange for draft picks and/or prospects.
Have you ever seen a team tied for first in the division get rid of one of its top players? Only to get a mid-round draft pick in return?
The New England Patriots did just that when they traded star wide receiver Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round draft pick in 2011.
No, the Patriots aren’t giving up on the season, at least not literally. Instead it is one of the most arrogant moves ever made.
With this move, Bill Belichick is emphasizing his famous philosophy that they can plug anyone into their system and succeed.
Many people may be able to point out examples that they trust in Belichick, but the evidence is strongly misleading.
People will look to the 2008 season when Tom Brady suffered a torn ACL and MCL in the first quarter of the first game, thrusting Matt Cassel into the spotlight.
Cassel lead the team to an 11-5 record, was franchised after the season, traded to the Kansas City Chiefs and signed a six-year deal worth $62.7 million [...]

By: Dan Podheiser, YawkeyTalkies Assistant Editor
The Patriots had an impressive showing in Week 1, spanking the Cincinnati Bengals 38-24. New England dominated the game from start to finish, and the offense did not skip a beat.
Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of how the Patriots performed in their win on Sunday.
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady picked up right where he left off from his stellar 2009 season, throwing for 258 yards and three touchdowns. Brady completed 71 percent of his passes for a 120.9 QB rating, and had little trouble finding any of his main targets. If he plays like that throughout the season, he’ll be an MVP candidate.
Grade: A
Runningbacks
Fred Taylor looked good early on and finished with 71 yards on 14 carries for an average of 5.1 yards per rush. Kevin Faulk picked up 23 yards on just three carries, but he dropped two easy wheel routes – one of which probably would have resulted in a touchdown. Faulk did finish with four catches for 47 yards, but those drops are very much unlike him.
Grade: B
Receivers/Tight Ends
As expected, the Pats’ passing game dominated. Wes Welker is clearly back, as he caught 8 catches for 64 yards and two TDs in his first game back [...]

By: Jess Lander, YawkeyTalkies Editor
It’s Back!!
Yeah I know, it’s just a preseason game, but football is finally here. Take a break from the literally broken Red Sox, because I don’t know about you, but they are giving me some serious “Can we catch the wildcard?” anxiety.
Try to forget the last time we saw our Patriots in action. I know I don’t remember shit having drunk myself back to a time when we were the kind of team that doesn’t let the freaking Baltimore Ravens man handle us. So, grab some beer, some wings, and sit back and enjoy the beginning-of-a-new-year-anything-is-possible-bliss.
Lucky for our boys, their first competition is none other than the Saintly SuperBowl Champs. This might seem rather unlucky, but the fact is that these games don’t matter. So, even if Drew and his team breezes (I’m feeling quite pun-ny today) by the Patriots, it’s okay because it doesn’t mean anything. All it means, is we got to play against some good competition to help us prepare for the games that count.
Now, I know these games are hard to watch, especially by third when you don’t recognize any of our players on the field. But, exhibition matches will give us [...]

By: Jess Lander, YawkeyTalkies Editor
This picture made me smile more than anything else this week. A friend of mine saw Wes Welker at an event he was working. He sent me this picture, but FAILED to get me an autograph, or pass him my phone number. Still, while Wes may not be on a football field running touchdowns, seeing him standing, smiling, and not looking like he had the kind of surgery that could result in him not being the same Wes we love ever again, somehow made me feel really reassured, because I don’t know about you, but:
Last Season +Wes getting hurt = me a very nervous Patriots fan.
Furthermore, this picture says little compared to what pictures of him this week at practice a Patriots uniform doing exercises and drills before going inside to work with a trainer. The fact that Wes put himself out there for the media and all of New England to see shows that he’s confident in his progress and his chances for being on the field when the season comes around.