Quick-hit thoughts around the NFL and with the New England Patriots:
1. The first thing I thought of Saturday when the Patriots released veteran receiver Reggie Wayne was the similarity to 2008 when they let go of safety John Lynch. Bill Belichick hoped to squeeze one more year out of both players at the end of their careers, but it didn't materialize in either situation. Lynch had been signed Aug. 12 and released Aug. 31; Wayne was signed Aug. 25 and released Sept. 5. Belichick's comments about both players were similar, reflecting his respect for their careers.
2008: "It goes without saying, but John is an all-time great safety, one of the league's classiest professionals and his elite play speaks for itself. As has been the case in other situations, I would not rule anything out down the road."
2015: "Obviously, Reggie's time here was brief but it only confirmed what I already thought -- he is a true professional who represents every positive attribute a player should emulate. Our parting was mutually agreed upon and I am personally grateful to have worked with one of the great NFL players of the past two decades."
That was a pretty big U-turn from the personable Wayne, who spoke late Thursday night about how Tom Brady was "my quarterback" and that he felt he was making positive strides in getting up to speed. He sounded like a player who was all-in. Something changed quickly over the next 24-36 hours; either Wayne was putting up a good front, or the Patriots decided he wasn't part of their plans or a good fit for their hard-driving culture, and Belichick gave a classy player he respects some cover. I'd like to hear what Wayne has to say about that.
2. As ESPN's Michele Steele pointed out, the contrast in statements issued by commissioner Roger Goodell and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on Thursday/Friday couldn't have been more noticeable (Goodell's vs. Brady's). I'll take the differences one step further: I have doubts that Brady would have appealed had he lost his court case because of the toll the situation would have continued to take on him, those close to him, his team and the game itself. Before the ruling, some in Brady's camp had hinted to me that he was ready to end it however it unfolded. Some free advice to the beleaguered commissioner: You'd be taking a step in the right direction if you were thinking along the same lines.
3. Three Deflategate leftovers: Thought Mark Maske of the Washington Post hit on a major developing storyline; the rising tide of owners starting to question Goodell's power with player discipline, with Atlanta's Arthur Blank the latest to opine it might be time for change. Blank's words came shortly after Goodell announced his intention to appeal in the case against Brady, which highlights a bit of a disconnect between what some owners are thinking and what Goodell is doing. ... Enjoyed this column from Bob Glauber of Newsday about commissioner/player relations, from the perspective of Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Eric Winston. ... It was clear to me that Houston owner Bob McNair hadn't read the 243-page Wells report, the lengthy Brady appeal testimony, or any court briefs when he made the comment about how J.J. Watt wouldn't destroy his cell phone like Brady because the phone was much ado about nothing, as attorney Jeffrey Kessler explained. That was eye-opening to me. McNair was focusing on a non-issue, a diversion from the crux of the case.
4. A reminder of the damage done to Brady's reputation, and what will follow him throughout the rest of his career, was served up when reviewing the Panthers-based television broadcast of the Carolina-New England preseason game from Aug. 28. In a quick preview before kickoff, video of Brady was shown and Carolina play-by-play announcer Mick Mixon said, "That [Carolina] defense will be chasing three-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, and worry not, with all he's accomplished, his ego is always properly inflated." Seriously.
5. If the Colts are to get past the Patriots, they must do a better job stopping the run. But the job just got a bit harder as arguably their top run defender, tackle Arthur Jones, was placed on season-ending injured reserve (ankle). Jones is the brother of Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones. The Colts, who struggled to stop the run against the Patriots last season, opened eyes by taking a receiver (Phillip Dorsett) in the first round of the draft when they were already well stocked at the position. So they're now forced to rely on veteran defensive linemen Kendall Langford and rookie Henry Anderson, a late third-round draft choice out of Stanford, to help fill the void. Running back LeSean McCoy and the Bills will give them an early test in Week 1 to see how vulnerable they are.
6. Why were the Lions interested in trading for tight end Tim Wright? One reason is that when Wright was with the Patriots last season, he had his best game of the season against the Lions (61 snaps, 5 catches, 36 yards, 2 TDs) as part of an up-tempo attack. Then in 2013, as a member of the Buccaneers, Wright had eight catches for 75 yards in a 24-21 win over the Lions. It's the old Wes Welker/Patriots concept from 2007 -- if you can't cover him, try to acquire him.
7. When a Patriots scout or coach works out a college prospect, it's a little different. That was the word from rookie cornerback Justin Coleman of Tennessee in the Patriots' locker room Saturday, as he explained how the club first sent a scout to work him out, and then position coach Josh Boyer. That was more attention than he received from any other team and it was more intense than the other four workouts he had with clubs. "They're a little tough with workouts, try to see where you stand; do them at a certain tempo that most teams wouldn't. I think it comes down to high expectations."
8. ESPN's Sal Paolantonio, who has taken time to mentor me in the world of TV, sent me a copy of his book "How Football Explains America" this week. The paperback version is now available with a new introduction that has a Patriots-based twist. Paolantonio calls Malcolm Butler's interception the "greatest single play in the history of pro football." I also randomly opened to page 160 and there was a reference to Bill Belichick's late father, Steve, and the importance of scouting and what it represents. I look forward to giving it a read.
9a. Did You Know, Part 1: Two of the past three defending champions have lost in Week 1, which snapped a streak of 12 straight wins from Week 1 of 2000 to Week 1 of 2011. Over that span, the Patriots accounted for three of those wins and are a league-best 9-1 in their last 10 season openers. The one loss came last year, to the Dolphins. The last time the Patriots lost back-to-back season-opening games was the first two years of the Belichick era, 2000 and 2001.
9b. Did You Know, Part II: The Browns haven't won their season opener since 2004, a 20-3 win over the Ravens. Since that game, their 10 straight Week 1 losses are more than double the next longest active streak (Giants, 4), according to ESPN's Stats & Information research.
9c. Did You Know, Part III: As a guest on ESPN's First Take in July, Patriots safety Devin McCourty ranked his top NFL receivers and put Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown No. 1.
10. Thursday night figures to be a festive atmosphere at Gillette Stadium when the Patriots unveil their Super Bowl championship banner and take on the Steelers. The player arguably most responsible for that banner, cornerback Malcolm Butler, knows he might have to keep some emotions in check. But he said with determination Saturday, "I'm excited to put that behind me, move forward, and establish that I'm not just known for that one play." Watching Butler grow from 2014 undrafted free agent who had a tryout to earn an initial contract to Super Bowl hero/No. 1 option -- and maintain a level-headed approach in the process -- has been one of the feel-good storylines around the team this year.
