Deion Branch

On the next play, WR Deion Branch let a pass hit the ground as he crossed deep over the middle. On the Patriots final drive, Branch dropped another pass over the deep middle. It appeared the ball was deflected, but the ball did pass through his hands. Lastly was TE Aaron Hernandez on a probable 10-yard gain on the final drive, but he heard the footsteps of the approaching linebacker.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Super Bowl XLVI"

a thorough dismantling of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship played in Pittsburgh, WR Deion Branch was caught on camera asking the fans, “Where’s your towels? Where’s your towels?”

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: AFC Championship"

Brady and Belichick still have work to do to be most successful tandem.

3. WR Deion Branch did not play against Denver in the regular season, but he certainly made up for it. He finished with three receptions for 85 yards, including a huge 61-yard TD as Denver was thinking the Patriots were going to run their 2-minute offense. New England started the drive with 2:27 left in the second quarter. An 11-yard Woodhead run followed by the TD pass equaled a 30-second scoring drive. The defense forced a Denver three-and-out and the offense scored again in five plays, and the game was over with the second half still to play.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Divisionals"

WR Deion Branch was ruled out for the game with a leg injury. This opened the opportunity for WR Chad Ochocinco to start. He took advantage by pulling in his first touchdown reception as a Patriot. It was his only reception as the rest of the afternoon showed one miscommunication and Brady just overthrowing Ochocinco on a short out route. More playing time didn’t equal a larger contribution. By the way, no elaborate celebration after the score.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 15"

s just working this time.

Back in 2006, WR David Givens left as a free agent and leading receiver Deion Branch held out for a lucrative contract and Patriots wouldn’t pay.Without the top two passing options unavailable, New England added Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney. The biggest adaptation was shifting the focus to tight ends Daniel Graham and Benjamin Watson.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 11"

While Welker and TE Rob Gronkowski were busy combining for 23 receptions for 326 yards, WR Deion Branch contributed zero catches. It was a concern after the preseason when Branch had zero receptions but he erased those concerns with solid performances in the first two games. But in a game the Patriots really needed him, with TE Aaron Hernandez out, Branch was targeted just three times.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 3"

WR Deion Branch doesn’t even have a reception.

Either Brady is lying or his assortment of targets are being covered very well.

Of course Wes Welker would get plenty of action from Brady after more than 400 receptions over the past four seasons. Aaron Hernandez quickly developed a rapport with Brady because he plays like a bigger, stronger version of Welker. Why other receivers haven’t carried over their success into this preseason is a mystery.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Preseason Week 4"

WR Deion Branch was brought back and paired with Wes Welker, just like when Branch and Troy Brown were Brady’s favorite targets. And RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis is the hard-nosed grinder like Antowain Smith and Corey Dillon were.

Continue reading "Patriots On the Run in 2011 and Beyond"

WRs Deion Branch and Wes Welker won’t play forever. The opportunity is there for Taylor and Tate to be next in line.

To all the rookies that logged plenty of snaps, expectations will be through the roof as the general belief is players make the biggest improvement in their second season. As good as CB Devin McCourty, LBs Brandon Spikes and Jermaine Cunningham, TEs Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, DLs Brandon Deaderick and Kyle Love, and punter Zoltan Mesko were, there is a lot of room for improvement.

Continue reading "A Fueled Off-season"

Watching WR Deion Branch jawing at New York’s sideline and hearing him call the Jets “classless” is sour grapes and a white flag that New England fell for the Jets’ trash talk.

Continue reading "Aftermath, Forward Thinking"

reception a play after he and Brady just missed on a scoring connection on the previous play.

WR Deion Branch can attest to Belichick’s opportunity knocks nature. In 2005 Branch was just 21 yards shy of his first ever 1,000-yard season. The starters were removed from the season finale after playing one quarter. Branch had two receptions for 19 yards. But with less than two minutes left in the game, Deion was back in the game and caught a six yard pass. Unfortunately a penalty negated the play, leaving Branch two yards short.

Continue reading "Going for Records"

while talking to Sports Radio WEEI, ESPN analyst Cris Carter made some disparaging remarks about WR Deion Branch as he compared him to WR Randy Moss:

 “(Branch) is just a guy. You guys have to be real about it. Great players, they don’t get hurt as much as the other players. There’s a difference between great ones and good ones and average ones.”

Continue reading "Branch Can, Though Carter Doesn't See It"

QB Tom Brady toyed with CB Alphonso Smith as receivers Deion Branch and Wes Welker took turns embarrassing the mouthy Smith. 

The Detroit offense that gouged New England for 17 points in the first half mustered just seven the rest of the way. The defense made halftime adjustments like past Patriot Championship teams and shut down the Lions. 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 13"

most never has to make a difficult catch. 

His role didn’t change with the arrival of Deion Branch, but that hasn’t cured Tate’s stone hands. Playing with some of the leagues surest receivers doesn’t mean soft hands are contagious, but there are some valuable tips Tate can pick up from the veterans. 

Continue reading "A Show of Hands by Tate, Please"

t always performance-related, but moving on from New England likely is a downgrade. 

Ask WR Deion Branch. He spent four injury-filled seasons with Seattle, missing 17 of 64 games and never reached the playoffs after three straight years of post season action with the Pats. 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 8"

ficulties they had the last time they let money get in the way of keeping their receivers. 

Deion Branch developed a rapport with Tom Brady and was obviously Tom’s favorite target. But their chemistry didn’t matter when Branch wanted to be paid like a top receiver. Both starting receivers left in 2006 as David Givens signed with Tennessee as a free agent and Branch was traded to Seattle. New England thought the combination of Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney could replace the departures. Nowhere close. The offense suffered, and the replacements didn’t make plays Branch and Givens consistently did. 

Continue reading "Stayings or Goings Part 1"

It isn’t much different in the Patriots offense as Wes Welker, Troy Brown, and Deion Branch did it for the Pats over the years. Holt knows how to get open underneath and will run the routes as needed after reading the defense. And Tom Brady can be confident that Holt will make the catch because he still has two of the best hands in the league and Holt won’t flinch to make the catch, even with a defender barring down to deliver a hit. 

Continue reading "Window Shopping"

I started having flashbacks. There was Deion Branch's catch and run for 63 yards. That was followed by his one-handed touchdown catch. I saw FB Leonard Weaver and RB Maurice Morris breaking for a big gains. My heart rate picked up recalling Tedy Bruchi and Mike Vrabel lying hurt on the ground. And TE John Carlson catching pass after pass underneath the coverage for first downs. The only vision left would be the Seahawks crossing the goal line.

Continue reading "Learning From Experience"

WR Deion Branch had similar problems with Seattle, though health was a problem even when he was with the Pats. And Joe Andruzzi had it worse when he left. In 2007 he developed cancer while with the Cleveland Browns. Joe is winning his fight against cancer.

Continue reading "Another former Jet"

Moss, it was about small short range passes to everyone on the offense (David Givens, David Patten, Deion Branch, Christian Fauria) and tough short runs by Kevin Faulk and Antowain Smith.  Defense was about big plays when they counted. Ty Law getting four interceptions against Peyton Manning in a snow storm. Troy Brown picking off opposing quarterbacks 3 times despite being an offensive player his entire career. Willie McGinest stopping Edgerrin James on fourth and goal at the one yard line. That was what Patriots football was all about. It was their smash mouth, in-your-face toughness and desire that beat opponents. 

Continue reading "Is the dynasty dead? Not likely."