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Heath Evans’ Super Bowl blog: South Florida! 02.01.10 at 12:35 pm ET
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heath_headshotInjured Saints fullback Heath Evans, a former Patriot, is WEEI.com’s guest blogger in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. While helping the NFC champions in their preparations for the Colts, Evans is sharing his thoughts about taking part in his second Super Bowl, two years after helping the Patriots reach the NFL’s ultimate game.

We just landed in South Florida! [Jeremy] Shockey, as always, was hootin’ and hollerin’ the whole way down on the plane … always an adventure with him. Otherwise, the flight was uneventful.

The weather here in sunny South Florida is pretty bleak. We leave 40 degrees in NOLA and get to overcast, rainy showers here in Miami. The good thing about being here is that the weather will be sunny and warm very soon!

Now we head to the team hotel to get checked in and settled. After that, we’ll hit the practice field at “The U” (University of Miami) — Shockey and [Jonathan] Vilma’s old stomping grounds — for a ten-ten-ten: our term for a walk-through. We’ll go through plays perfectly — 30 perfect offensive plays, 30 perfect defensive plays, and 30 perfect special teams plays.

After that, I’ll get back to the hotel and do a more in-depth blog …

Thanks for all your support from the Northeast! Who Dat!

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Revis goes after Moss again 02.01.10 at 12:33 pm ET
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Jets defensive back Darrelle Revis got the best of Randy Moss this season, and he hasn't stopped talking about it. (AP)

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis got the best of Randy Moss this season, and he hasn't stopped talking about it. (AP)

New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis took another shot at Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss over the weekend, telling ESPN that “sometimes [Moss] takes plays off. Sometimes he don’t.”

“Will he fight through tough coverage? Everybody knows Randy Moss,” Revis said while at the Pro Bowl. “Sometimes he takes plays off. Sometimes he don’t. That’s his game now. He’s still a great player, and he still manages to make plays.”

Two weeks ago, in an interview with the NFL Network, Revis called Moss a “slouch.” Over the weekend at the Pro Bowl, Revis added to it when someone asked about Moss’ comments in the wake of a Week 2 battle, a Jets win where Moss had four catches for 24 yards but said Revis had help from safety Kerry Rhodes.

“Just trying to cover it up because Randy Moss didn’t have a great game,” Revis said Sunday night. “You always see Randy Moss catching 160 yards, 180 yards, two, three touchdowns. That day wasn’t his day. That happens sometimes in football.”

Revis did have good things to say about New England’s other high-profile wide receiver Wes Welker, who he said was a tougher cover than Moss.

“He’s a scrapper,” Revis said of Welker. “He can do all the option routes you can draw up, and he gets open all the time.”

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Amidst differing opinions, Patriots shouldn’t touch Tebow 02.01.10 at 9:20 am ET
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The Patriots need to make their first four picks count in a very deep draft, not gamble them away on a player such as Tim Tebow. (AP)

The Patriots need to make their first four picks count in a very deep draft, not gamble them away on a player such as Tim Tebow. (AP)

After a very poor showing at the recent Senior Bowl (his longest pass was 11 yards and added two fumbles), some believe Tim Tebow still remains a candidate for selection in the first two rounds of April’s NFL Draft. Among the teams that have been mentioned as suitors for the polarizing Florida quarterback are the Jaguars, 49ers, Broncos, Bills and Patriots.

Recently, Peter King kicked around the idea of the Urban Meyer-Bill Belichick connection working in Tebow’s favor, as Belichick has been a “quasi-mentor” to the Florida quarterback. With all of the uncertainty surrounding Tebow’s NFL credentials, is the Meyer connection — the same one that brought such duds as Chad Jackson and Jeremy Mincey to New England — enough?

The biggest question at the moment regarding Tebow is which position he will play in the NFL. Some see him as a quarterback who will be utilized best in the Wildcat, while others see him as a fullback, tight end (his position at his first high school), or H-back, similar to Chris Cooley of the Redskins. Regardless of which position Tebow plays at the next level, when looking at the overall landscape in New England and the players who will be available when the Patriots make their first four picks, it’s pretty simple: Tebow to the Patriots does not make one shred of sense.

First, this is not a draft in which the Patriots should be willing to take first- or second-round risks. Belichick and friends set themselves up very nicely last year by securing four of the top 53 picks in a very deep 2010 draft. They can land starters at positions of need with each of their first four picks without moving up or down.

Pass-rushing linebacker who can play on the line every so often? Clemson’s Ricky Sapp or Michigan’s Brandon Graham at No. 22. Cornerback? Oklahoma State’s Perrish Cox and Boise State’s Kyle Wilson are just two of the very attractive second-round options. Running back? Take your pick between Georgia Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer, Fresno State’s Ryan Mathews and Mississippi’s Dexter McCluster, as all three may be there by the time the Patriots are on the clock in Round 2. Guard options are there. Tight end options are there. Linebacker options are there — a guy such as Kentucky’s Micah Johnson could step in and start after being chosen with the 53rd pick.

The Patriots have needs in this draft bigger than anything they’ve faced since the 2001 draft. The guys they need are going to be there. Why sacrifice filling the holes for the sake of trying out Tebow in a new position?

Read the rest of this entry »

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Heath Evans’ Super Bowl blog: Packing day 01.31.10 at 5:00 pm ET
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heath_headshotInjured Saints fullback Heath Evans, a former Patriot, is WEEI.com’s guest blogger in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. While helping the NFC champions in their preparations for the Colts, Evans is sharing his thoughts about taking part in his second Super Bowl, two years after helping the Patriots reach the NFL’s ultimate game.

It’s a lot easier packing for Miami then it was for Arizona. Arizona: Hot by day, cold by night. South Florida: Just hot! Shorts and T-shirts it is.

Thank the Lord for my Nike contract. Nike online is the only place I get to shop anymore. Let’s just say the shopping experience in New Orleans does not compare to Boston or the Wrentham Outlets! It’s been great for my bank account because I haven’t had to worry every day about Beth being at the outlet mall all day with the girls. I don’t think I have bought a new piece of clothing since last year at Copley Place.

One of the things that New Orleans does have on Boston is the food. The day I signed with the Saints last year, Kevin Faulk called me and told me I was going to get fat by the start of the season! (Let’s just say I did about twice as much running last offseason as I normally do!) Being injured and trying to discipline myself to eat healthy … that hasn’t gone so well! Thank God for being able to run in the pool, or otherwise they might have brought me back as a right guard next season.

There is one bad habit that the New England area got me hooked on and that is Dunkin’ Donuts (better known as “Double D” in my house). Luckily for the Evans family, we do have a Double D in New Orleans.  It hasn’t helped the formation of my six-pack very much, but it sure has given me some good comfort food during some tough times of dealing with the knee injury. We had the day off [Sunday], so not much to report on the football front, but [Monday] should be an interesting day. Traveling with this team — especially Jeremy Shockey — is always interesting!

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Heath Evans’ Super Bowl blog: ‘MyFace’ and ‘Yearbook’? 01.30.10 at 10:21 pm ET
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heath_headshotInjured Saints fullback Heath Evans, a former Patriot, is WEEI.com’s guest blogger in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. While helping the NFC champions in their preparations for the Colts, Evans is sharing his thoughts about taking part in his second Super Bowl, two years after helping the Patriots reach the NFL’s ultimate game.

I was encouraged to start a Facebook page and a Twitter account a few weeks ago to help spread the word about what Beth and I are doing with the foundation. Boy, did I create a lot of work for myself! In one sense, it’s pretty cool connecting with old friends and hearing what others are up to. In another sense, it’s pretty creepy anytime I’m updating my profile on Facebook (or “MyFace,” as Bill Belichick calls it) — anyone of my so-called “friends” can start a live chat with me! I hate that feature! It always makes me feel guilty when I click offline real quick so I don’t have to respond to somebody that I haven’t talked to in years.

Twitter is even crazier than FaceBook. The idea of signing up to follow someone’s every movement never really appealed to me, but against my better judgment I listened to Drew Brees (@drewbrees), and now I’m hooked.  I started about two or three weeks ago (@heathevans) and it’s pretty cool keeping up with all the sporting news from Boston on WEEISPORTS or from my guys at ESPN.

The Twitter world is nuts. You can use it to track people you’re interested in, or you can use it to network for raffles like we are doing now at heathevans.org. For instance, Reggie Bush (@reggie_bush) has almost a million followers on Twitter, and he tweets for me all the time. Instantly, 950,000-plus people know exactly what we are up to at Saints practice or what we are doing on a plane ride back from a big win.

Back to coach Belichick … put it this way: Bill Belichick is hands down one of the Top 5 funniest people I know. I know the stonefaced head coach on the sideline looks anything but funny. I understand that his postgame hand shakes and interviews are the stuff of legend, but get to know the man and he will have you rolling for days! When MySpace and Facebook first came out, coach Bill warned us to stay off of “Yearbook and MyFace.” Hopefully, that gives you guys a little insight into New England’s favorite coach.

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Feeling the draft: Quarterbacks 01.30.10 at 8:48 pm ET
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WEEI.com is the place to be for everything you need to know about the 2010 NFL Draft. We’re kicking off the draft coverage by going through the Patriots’ depth chart, position by position, and telling you which players the Pats could target come late April.

Defense:

Cornerback

Safety

Outside Linebacker

Inside Linebacker

Defensive End

Defensive Tackle

Offense:

Tackle

Guard/Center

Tight End

Wide Receiver

Running back

QUARTERBACK

State of the position: Tom Brady (1 year remaining), Brian Hoyer (2 years remaining).

Anyone who thinks it is silly to even peruse the quarterbacks available to the Patriots is 100 percent correct. Though Brady is entering the final year of his contract, he didn’t appear willing to put the pressure on the Patriots with his “We are all overpaid” comment. The Pats seem to like allocating just two roster spots to the quarterback position, and they have to like Hoyer considering they were willing to cut third-round pick Kevin O’Connell in favor of him. If the Pats do take a quarterback, it won’t be until very late, and even then it would be questionable.

Potential free agents of note: Chad Pennington, Kyle Orton (pending new CBA), Jason Campbell (pending new CBA), Tarvaris Jackson (pending new CBA).

QUARTERBACKS IN THE DRAFT TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Levi Brown: Senior, Troy, 6-foot-4, 219 pounds.

2009 stats: 321-of-504, 4254 yards, 23 TD, 9 INT.

Where the Patriots could get him: Round 6.

Brown spent his freshman and sophomore years at Richmond and played in just nine total games before transferring to Troy. He had his best statistical season as a senior and will have both that and his size to thank should he be drafted. Not being invited to the Senior Bowl means he needs to have a terrific showing at the combine.

Jarrett Brown: Senior, West Virginia, 6-foot-4, 221 pounds.

2009 stats: 187-of-296, 11 TD, 9 INT.

Where the Patriots could get him: Round 6.

Scouts were eager to see what Brown would do as a starter following the graduation of Pat White, but the numbers came far from jumping off the page. Still, Brown has prototypical size and above-average mobility and should be seen as a very good late-round developmental quarterback.

Jonathan Skelton: Senior, Fordham, 6-foot-5, 258 pounds.

2009 stats: 284-of-441, 3708 yards, 26 TD, 10 INT.

Where the Patriots can get him: Round 6-undrafted.

Skelton actually has all of the physical tools and he has often been likened to Joe Flacco, another former Division I-AA quarterback. Most scouts likely want to Skelton on a scale for themselves, as his mobility does not make sense for a near-260-pounder. While at Fordham he displayed a strong and accurate arm and really helped his case for the NFL in the week leading up to the Shrine Game.

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Heath Evans’ Super Bowl blog: Ready to Roll! 01.30.10 at 3:16 pm ET
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heath_headshotInjured Saints fullback Heath Evans, a former Patriot, is WEEI.com’s guest blogger in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. While helping the NFC champions in their preparations for the Colts, Evans is sharing his thoughts about taking part in his second Super Bowl, two years after helping the Patriots reach the NFL’s ultimate game.

The craziness is ramping up!  From getting bags packed to planning last-minute details to dealing with tickets for family (and Heath Evans Foundation Donors — www.HeathEvans.Org) — it seems the big game will be on us in no time!

My role is to try to convey to the guys on the team how important it is to not let the noise around us keep us from focusing on the goal ahead of us.  Having been to one Super Bowl, I know the excitement of the preparation — unfortunately, I also know the pain and frustration of coming up short! If I can get my Saints brothers to achieve razor-sharp focus in meetings, in practices and in workouts, I know we’ll be ready to go when the whistle blows and we get that first hit on a Colts jersey.

Saints fans are coming out of the woodwork — I’ve seen so many positive messages from my Patriots fan friends saying they are Saints fans for the next week or so. We appreciate you all getting behind us!  We’d love to have the stadium down there (whatever they are calling it these days — seems they have changed the name 15 times!) rocking with Saints fans in the same way the Superdome rocks for our home games! A friend of mine was up for the game last weekend, and his ears were still ringing Monday afternoon from the jet-engine level of noise!

Looks like the plan is to head down to sunny South Florida on Monday morning — although the Pro Bowl guys will have to fly down ahead of us for the Sunday appearances. Looking forward to being back close to my hometown!  Keep tracking the Saints as we make history for the people of the great city of New Orleans!

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