8/5 AM notes: SMY, Rapoport, Petraglia, Reiss, Hart, Scalavino

[pats1]

Patriots camp notes: Shanahan and Belichick together again - Projo Pats Blog

Patriots camp notes: Shanahan and Belichick together again
1:40 PM Wed, Aug 05, 2009
By Shalise Manza Young

With apologies for the delay...

Mike Shanahan was again roaming the sidelines, and Bill Belichick said after practice that it is nice to have Shanahan around and talk with without any competition between them: "As everyone knows, I have great respect for Mike...(but) we're usually trying to beat each other's brains in."

A team of NFL officials, headed by referee Terry McAulay were on hand, and are expected to remain through Friday morning's practice. After the session, they met with the media to show us the video that players will watch this afternoon talking about the new rule changes and points of emphasis for this season. The new wedge ban and horsecollar tackling will be points of emphasis this year.

On the field:
* In the one-on-one tackling drill, Fred Taylor froze Brandon Meriweather. Taylor may be 33, but he still has some good stutter in his steps as he's shown thus far in camp.

...

BostonHerald.com - Blogs: Rap Sheet Blog Archive The NFL Network and officials stop by practice day 7…

August 5th, 2009
The NFL Network and officials stop by practice day 7…
Posted by Ian Rapoport at 11:34 am

Well, it’s starting to feel a little more real… Today is the day NFL officials visit Patriots camp, both to acclimate the team to the new rules and educate the public. We’ll talk to them later.

Let’s see what’s going on:

– The NFL Network and Mike Mayock are in the house, shooting practice and interviewing Bill Belichick for a piece called “Inside Training Camp.” So watch for that.
– Randy Moss practiced again in the morning, while Tedy Bruschi, Richard Seymour, Shawn Springs, Ben Watson, Tully Banta-Cain, and Jonathan Wilhite are out. Moss did have an uncharacteristic drop, which was the first I can remember.

...

It Is What It Is Notes from Day 7 of training camp

Notes from Day 7 of training camp
08.05.09 at 1:21 pm ET
By Mike Petraglia

FOXBOROUGH — The Patriots took defensive lineman Darryl Richard off the physically unable to perform list today, and he attended his first practice this morning.

Richard’s presence helped fill the void left by the absence of three regulars. Richard Seymour and Vince Wilfork, both out healthy, and Ty Warren (PUP) were not at the morning session.

Also missing Wednesday morning was Tedy Bruschi.

Randy Moss did participate, as did Tom Brady and the three other quarterbacks in camp, including Andrew Walter, who spoke to the media for the first time. Walter said he’s talked with Moss, a teammate on the 2006 Oakland Raiders, but has spent most of his time in quarterback meetings, trying to get up to speed since being signed on Sunday by the Patriots.

...

Day 7, first Patriots practice - Reiss' Pieces - Boston.com

Day 7, first Patriots practice
Posted by Mike Reiss, Globe Staff
August 5, 2009 12:20 PM

FOXBOROUGH – The Patriots held their morning practice in full pads (9:30-11:15) and Mike Shanahan was present once again.
The session was highlighted by the presence of officials. The Patriots are fortunate to have one of the NFL’s best head referee’s on hand today – Terry McAulay. No. 77 in your officials’ program, McAulay was the head referee in last season’s Super Bowl.
Mike Mayock (NFL Network),
Adam Schefter (soon to be ESPN), Howard Bryant (ESPN) and Tim Graham (ESPN.com) represented a larger than usual national media contingent on hand.
Here are a few observations from the practice:

1) Tom Brady in command of the offense. This was one aspect that stood out from the session – Brady and his presence in the shotgun. He reads the defense, calls out the middle linebacker with authority, and never seems hurried even as the clock winds down. He gets the Patriots into the right play-call and then delivers. The offense had four straight “situational” plays in the red zone and Brady led them to a touchdown on each of them. The breakdown:

-- Ball on the 7, with 12 seconds left: Brady to Wes Welker for a touchdown
-- Ball on the 3, with 8 seconds left: Sammy Morris run for a score on a well-executed fake
-- Ball on the 1.5, with 4 seconds left: Brady successful quarterback sneak
-- Ball on the 1.5, with 2 seconds left: Brady to Randy Moss for a touchdown

...

Official Patriots Football Weekly Blog Blog Archive From the Hart: Stars and the stripes hit morning practice

From the Hart: Stars and the stripes hit morning practice

Written by Andy Hart on August 5, 2009 – 12:40 pm

The Patriots just concluded the 13th practice of training camp 2009 on the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium, the 11th workout in full pads. Beyond the normal Patriots stars in attendance, also on the fields were former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, ESPN reporter Adam Schefter and a crew of NFL officials in town to work with the team over the next couple days. The officials will address the media in the Gillette press box following Bill Belichick’s late-morning press conference.
–Those players not seen on the field for the Wednesday morning workout included: Jonathan Wilhite, Shawn Springs, Tedy Bruschi, Al Johnson, George “Bus” Bussey, Ryan O’Callaghan, Vince Wilfork, Benjamin Watson, Le Kevin Smith, Myron Pryor, Richard Seymour and Tully Banta-Cain; NFI rookie Brandon Tate; injured, unsignded rookie Tyrone McKenzie; and PUPers Rich Ohrnberger, Mark LeVoir, Ty Warren and Shawn Crable.
Rookie defensive lineman Darryl Richard made his first appearance on the field after opening camp on PUP.
Wilfork had said earlier in the week that his wife was due with the couple’s third child today, Aug. 5.
Belichick did say that for the most part the guys that are not practicing are “pretty close.”
–Shanahan once again watched the workouts closely, although he also spent time chatting on the side with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

...

Officials help with rules changes; Wed A.M. notes

8/5/09
Officials help with rules changes; Wed A.M. notes

News and notes from Day 7's morning practice.

...

Who's Hot: The Patriots running backs
The committe of Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, Fred Taylor, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis has quietly been getting the job done in every phase of the game through the first week of camp.

Who's Not: Chris Baker
The free agent tight end has been finding ways to get open downfield in the passing game, but he has too often been a step too slow in getting to where he needs to be to haul in the precise timing passes from Tom Brady.

Play of Practice: Brady to Moss TD
On the last play of the group period at the end of practice, Brady found WR Randy Moss in the back of the end zone and fired a laser strike to him. Moss made the catch, then instantly turned and punted the ball to the fans sitting on the berm behind the end zone.