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Steve Balestrieri Archive

Our full article archive from over 25 years.

Steve Balestrieri | PatsFans.com Archive

Our full article archive from over 25 years.

Showing 2,428 results (page 2 of 98)

NFL Week 12 Picks, Sunday Edition

November 27, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

The Patriots offense, inconsistent the past month, needs to get started early and put pressure on the Eagles. With Asomugha getting injured and possibly out, Tom Brady needs to get the Patriots WRs involved in the game and early. This will open things up

Nightmare on 11th St. Patriots Rout Eagles

November 28, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

Nothing was more indicative of the Patriots adjustments than their first possession of the second half. Going to the hurry up offense, they completely dismantled the Eagles defense and went easily down the field to score a touchdown that put the game quic

Patriots - Colts Key Matchups, Look to Improve in AFC

December 02, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

“I don’t agree with that, so go ahead on your soliloquy but I just don’t agree with that,’’ Belichick said. “You don’t think you can gauge a team based on how a player blocks Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis? I mean, who else could you gauge it against? A

NFL Week 13 Picks

December 04, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

Belichick said, “You don’t think you can gauge a team based on how a player blocks Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis? I mean, who else could you gauge it against? Are you kidding me? Covering Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon – you don’t thi

Could Pats Secondary Woes Be Traced To Offense?

December 07, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

Perhaps the biggest miscalculation this summer could have been that the Patriots coaches thought this defense was better in man coverage because of the success they had against their own offense.

Patriots - Redskins Key Matchups, Mr. Carter Goes (Back) to Washington

December 08, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

This game will be won or lost on the edges, Matt Light and Nate Solder on offense and Andre Carter and Mark Anderson on defense will be key here. Light and Solder will need to protect Tom Brady against Orakpo and Kerrigan coming off the edge. Carter and A

Patriots 3 Keys to Victory

December 11, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

this game will be won or lost on the edge on both sides of the ball. Andre Carter and Mark Anderson will be counted upon to give the Patriots the pass rush necessary to force Rex Grossman into mistakes. Carter is going against a backup in Sean Locklear si

Patriots - Broncos Key Matchups, Mile High Hyped Game

December 15, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

The Patriots may opt to ‘spy’ Tebow with Dane Fletcher and try to keep his scrambling down to a minimum. I think the Patriots will go to a progressively lighter package as the game wears on. Heavier DE’s such as Brandon Deaderick and Shaun Ellis will sit

NFL Week 15 Picks

December 18, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

The Patriots have a lot of weapons on offense but this is a tough matchup for them against Denver’s defense. What would help is for the 3rd WR, either Chad Ochocinco, or Tiquan Underwood to step up and make teams pay outside the numbers. But it hasn’t hap

NFL Week 16 Picks

December 22, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

The problem for the Dolphins is if they move their best linebacker Karlos Dansby, to cover Rob Gronkowski, then they have to roll the dice and assume Rashad Jones will do a better job of covering Aaron Hernandez.

Patriots Win Over Miami, What Do We Take From It?

December 25, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

This is a never say quit, mentally tough football team, that doesn’t panic and doesn’t cash it in. Three times this season, they’ve come back from sizable deficits. Down 10-0 in Philadelphia, down 16-7 in Denver and being down at the half 17-0, the Patrio

Patriots - Bills Key Matchups, No Ifs or Buts

December 29, 2011 | Steve Balestrieri

In the first game back in September, Wes Welker had a field day catching 16 passes for 217 yards; likewise Rob Gronkowski torched the Bills for 7 catches for 109 yards

NFL Week 17 Picks

January 01, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

Belichick was testy on his Wednesday press conference saying “if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, everyday would be Christmas” when asked a question by the media so, he isn’t taking this game lightly.

Patriots Hire From Inside? Opponents Record, Hurry Up or Wait

January 06, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

If you didn’t follow football or just got dropped on Earth from Ork or someplace, and you read a Boston newspaper or watched ‘the network’ you would swear the Patriots are the first 3-13 team to make the playoffs.

NFL Wild Card Weekend Picks

January 07, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

the Giants offense has Victor Cruz and a pounding running game, most people forget that Eli Manning nearly passed for 5000 (4933) yards himself this season, lost in the hoopla of Brees, Brady and Stafford doing it.

Patriots - Broncos Key Matchups, No its Brady's Time

January 13, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

In the first game, Denver had good success on play-action passes to Thomas on a post pattern, and both they and the Patriots will be looking at film of that. Chung like Polamalu last week, is prone to be over-aggressive at times, so he’ll have to be aware

Patriots, Brady Throw Wet Blanket On Naysayers

January 15, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

Tom Brady is a lock for the Hall of Fame and perhaps one of the top five QBs ever to play the game. But this week, he was a total non-entity. Think it bothered Brady? You bet it did.

Belichick Correct in Not Resting Starters in Week 17, See Green Bay

January 16, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

Rodgers sat out Week 17 as the Packers didn’t have anything to play for as far as seeding in the playoffs was concerned.But did the two week layoff hurt him and the Packers?

Patriots - Ravens AFC Championship Game Key Matchups, Time to Step Up

January 19, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

From a Patriots perspective, stopping Ray Rice has to be priority number 1. While shutting him down is a something that is nearly impossible to do, they have to limit his effectiveness. His 1364 rushing yards and 704 receiving yards represent 48% of the R

Patriots Win Over Baltimore, Four Things To Take Away From It

January 23, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

The Patriots two best players on the field yesterday were Vince Wilfork and Brandon Spikes. When was the last time in a Patriots victory were the two best players on the field for them was from the defensive side of the ball?

Harbaugh Puts "Scoreboard Gate" to Rest....Or Did He?

January 26, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

“We knew what the down and distance were on our last series. The scoreboard was not a factor for us. Any suggestion that the wrong down information was a deliberate effort to affect the outcome of the game is nonsense.”

Patriots - Giants Super Bowl Key Matchups, Who Steps Up?

February 02, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

When the Giants play man-coverage, look for Brady to attack down the middle of the field along the hash marks with Gronkowski and Hernandez.

Patriots 2011Season Wrap- QBs

February 11, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

the Patriots may choose to trade one of their back-up QBs for draft picks or a player.

Patriots 2011 Season Wrap - Running Backs

February 14, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

Despite having a talented group of running backs, the Patriots running game has to be looked upon as somewhat of a disappointment in 2011. Too many times the Patriots were in a position where they had a lead and needed to milk the clock, but the running g

Patriots 2011 Season Wrap - Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

February 14, 2012 | Steve Balestrieri

Aaron Hernandez had 79 receptions for 910 yards and 7 touchdowns himself, but one thing to remember, Hernandez started slowly this season as he struggled with rounding into form after off-season hip surgery.

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