New England Patriots 2009 Season Outlook

Last season was a series of ups and downs for the New England Patriots. The NFL betting world fell silent in Week 1 as Tom Brady was lost for the year, only to get loud when Matt Cassel stepped in and rallied the team to an 11-5 record. But things once again fell silent late in the season as the Patriots missed the postseason. Now, though, with Tom Brady back in the mix and a slew of new veterans on board, the mantra for the 2009 Patriots seems to be set: It’s time to get back to business.

Key Departures: QB Matt Cassel, FB Heath Evans, WR Jabar Gaffney, S Rodney Harrison, CB Ellis Hobbs, RB LaMont Jordan, LB Mike Vrabel.

Key Acquisitions: Free Agents – TE Chris Baker, LB Tully Banta-Cain, CB Leigh Bodden, WR Joey Galloway, LS Nathan Hodel, C-OG Al Johnson, LB Paris Lenon, WR Greg Lewis, S Brandon McGowan, TE Alex Smith, CB Shawn Springs, RB Fred Taylor. Draft – S Patrick Chung, DT Ron Brace, CB Darius Butler, OT Sebastian Vollmer.

The biggest addition to the Pats’ offense will be Brady, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL. He’ll rejoin a unit with a ton of talent at wideout – 15-year-veteran Joey Galloway joins Randy Moss and Wes Welker – and some added depth at running back. Longtime Jacksonville RB Fred Taylor joins the New England committee this season, likely splitting time with former first-round pick Laurence Maroney and the always-reliable Kevin Faulk. Up front, the Pats still boast one of the best offensive lines in football and added University of Houston standout Sebastian Vollmer to the mix.

Defensively, the Pats will be without two of their biggest veteran presences. Safety Rodney Harrison retired while longtime LB-TE-do-everything extraordinaire Mike Vrabel was dealt to Kansas City. Of course, New England found a wealth of experience to replace them – 12-year veteran cornerback Shawn Springs and six-year vets LB Tully Banta-Cain and CB Leigh Bodden. Former Detroit standout LB Paris Lenon, who led the Lions in tackles over the last two years, was also signed as a free agent. The beefed up defense is one of the reasons why most sportsbook betting has the Patriots as favourites (4/1) to win the 2009/10 Super Bowl.

Notable 2009 Games: Circle Monday, November 30 on your calendars. That night, the Patriots will travel to New Orleans to face the high-octane Saints. It promises to be contest full of fireworks as two of the NFL’s top offenses go head-to-head. On November 15, the Pats renew hostilities with longtime AFC rival Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium – a mouth-watering Sunday night affair.

2009 Outlook: Despite losing Brady a year ago, the Pats showed impressive depth and determination by finishing 11-5. The defense has addressed some of the issues at linebacker and cornerback, meaning it’ll be stouter than a season ago. The addition of Fred Taylor in the backfield should give the running game a boost, one of the few problem areas for the Pats a year ago. A 13 to 14 win season and a return to AFC East glory seems likely, but the real goal for New England is a return to Super Bowl glory.