Posted by Josh Katzowitz

This doesn’t have very much relevance to anything, but because it’s got people on the Interwebs buzzing, we’ll let you know what Patriots QB Tom Brady said about the show Hard Knocks – which, in my eyes, has been awesome (both with its colorful language (thank you Rex Ryan) and its complex math problems (thank you Antonio Cromartie)).

Apparently, Brady hasn’t made time to watch HBO on Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

“You know, I haven’t turned it on,” Brady said this morning on WEEI Radio . “I hate the Jets. I refuse to support that show. … I’m sure it’s great TV and I’m glad people are liking it. But that’s something I have no interest in watching. I’d love to say a lot of mean things, too, but I’d rather not do that, either.”

Check out the link above. The question is asked about the 13-minute mark, so you can determine for yourself whether Brady was serious or joking. He didn’t sound like he was joking to me. But either way, his honesty is awesome.

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Posted by Will Brinson

The Atlanta Falcons have a very good (and very underrated) offensive line. The Patriots are in need of depth on the line, primarily because of Logan Mankins' holdout. The Patriots have lots of draft picks (always and forever). The Falcons have Quinn Ojinnaka.

Er, had -- the team just announced that they traded him to the Patriots in a deal that (see: above) makes a lot of sense for both teams.

Ojinnaka, a reserve guard who was drafted by Atlanta in the fifth round of 2006, started five games at right guard for the Falcons last year.

He'll also miss the Pats first game after being suspended -- it carries over in trades, natch -- for a violation of the league's personal conduct policy.

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Posted by Andy Benoit

Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald reports that Patriots offensive lineman Nick Kaczur has undergone back surgery, putting his status for 2010 in very serious doubt.

Kaczur has been out since the second day of training camp. He had been filling in for Logan Mankins at left guard (Mankins is holding out). Dan Connolly is currently holding down that spot.

Second-year pro Sebastian Vollmer will continue to handle the right tackle duties. Vollmer has more raw ability than Kaczur but is still somewhat rough around the edges.

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Posted by Josh Katzowitz

He didn’t officially start the game, and he didn’t make his way onto the field until the second play (well, officially, it was the first play, because the real first play was a penalty). But Patriots WR Wes Welker made his presence felt immediately.

He caught a six-yard pass, and then he made a nice catch on a pass thrown behind him for 14 yards and the first down. On the next play, Falcons DB Chris Owens blasted him on an incomplete screen attempt. But Welker got right up and was ready for the next play.

It’s just an awesome story. He had ACL surgery in February, and a little more than six months later, he was on the field and playing at a high level. Two catches, 20 yards, one good collision.

Amazing stuff from Welker.

And I was just about to post this when the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain Tweeted this. Just for some perspective: “I watched Texans TE Owen Daniels blow out a knee in the 8th game and he's not ready. I watched Wes Welker do the same in the 16th game.”

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Posted by Josh Katzowitz

Two preseason games tonight:

The Bills and Colts face each other in Toronto, and the Patriots and Falcons, after spending some quality practice time together the past few days, will meet at the Georgia Dome in a nationally-televised game on Fox.

That means we have two questions apiece for each squad as they head into their second exhibition game.

Bills

1)How will QB Brian Brohm perform? In Buffalo’s first preseason game, Trent Edwards started, and Ryan Fitzpatrick was the second man in. Tonight, Edwards will start and Brohm will back him. My question: why not just start Brohm and see what you’ve got?

2)Can C.J. Spiller stay healthy? He’d better. If not, he’ll join fellow RBs Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch on the sideline. Then, who would Buffalo play?

Colts

1)Will backup QB Curtis Painter play any better? Because in the first game, he was brutal, and fans aren’t happy.

2)Will S Bob Sanders play at all? Although he’s feeling better than he has the past few years, I wouldn’t expect to see him. No reason to push him too hard in the preseason. At some point, though, you’d like to see him get back on the field.

Falcons

1)How will the secondary look against Tom Brady? In practice, the Falcons struggled against him and WR Randy Moss. Atlanta’s DBs have been awful the past half-decade. They’ll need to make progress at some point, right?

2)How will WR Brian Finneran look? The Falcons might actually need him this year. Will he continue to progress even as he enters his mid-30s?

Patriots

1)Will we see WR Wes Welker for the first time? He’s on the trip to Atlanta, so that’s a positive sign. I would say he’s 50-50. Pregame reports say he’s fully dressed. So maybe he will play.

2)Will Brandon Spikes continue to make a push to start at LB? Spikes has performed well with Gary Guyton trying to rehab an injury. If Spikes continues to play well, he could beat out Guyton.

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Posted by Andy Benoit

Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston reports that the Patriots have released Torry Holt. The Patriots originally put Holt on IR, but the wide receiver and organization came to terms on an injury settlement.

Holt is undergoing knee surgery this week. By asking for (and receiving) his release, it’s possible the 34-year-old veteran could be aiming to still play in 2010. He’ll have to find a team, first.

If healthy, Holt's precision route running allows him to still get separation against No. 3 corners. Plus, he'd be an excellent mentor for younger wideouts.

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Posted by Andy Benoit

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady added a little fuel to a contract fire in New England – but the fire wasn’t his. In a radio interview with WEEI, Brady made mention of something many people already know: wide receiver Wes Welker is looking for a new deal.

“Every player on the team wants a contract and to be fairly compensated,” Brady said. “Wes doesn’t make a lot of money, but he’s one of (the) best receivers in the league. We all want to be compensated fairly, but we also understand we signed contracts.”

Brady clearly wasn’t criticizing the organization or campaigning for changes – he was merely stating the obvious. Brady himself is hoping for a new deal (he’s in the final year of his contract) but isn’t letting it be a distraction. Of course, by reprinting his words again and again, media outlets like this one do all they can to make things like this a distraction.

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Posted by Will Brinson

Tom Brady joins the Dennis and Callahan show on WEEI every Monday morning to talk Patriots football. Today, even though he's in the midst of an awkward contract situation, has a thumb injury and apparently can't get an appointment to have his haircut, he swung by. And things got interesting -- not in the sense that anything awkward was asked, but Brady was pretty darn quotable.

Brady confirmed the golf outing with Bob Kraft; he pointed out that he and Kraft hadn't spoken much in the last six or seven months and that with his wife out of town, he figured he'd take him up on the outing, since they hadn't spoken much in six or seven months. Then the topic turned to whether Brady could spend his entire career in New England.

"I’d love to be here my whole career," Brady responded. "I have goals and the team has goals and hopefully they’re down the same line. But you never know. Like I said, Joe Montana got traded, and Jerry Rice did, guys I loved watching out there that really were the best players to ever play at their positions. It’s hard to think if those guys are not playing for a team, wow, why should I ever be excluded from that?"

The WEEI guys followed up by asking whether or not Brady had a timeline on when he wanted to get a new deal done; the obvious thought process is "ASAP" considering that Brady managed to bang up his finger during the first preseason game of the year. Brady, however, played the typical role of team player.

"What I want, it doesn't matter," Brady pointed out. "I'm not going to be really attached to that, because it's not up to me. There are a lot of people involved. Every player on the team wants a contact to be fairly compensated. So does Logan [Mankins], so did Vince [Wilfork] last year. So do all the other guys ... so does Wes [Welker]. Wes doesn't make a lot of money, but he's one of the best receivers in the league. We all want to be compensated fairly, but we also understand we signed contracts so that's why we're here to show up and give our best."

Brady also discussed Peyton Manning's impending contract extension and whether or not it mattered to him how much Manning makes versus his contract -- they actually framed it with "who should make $1 more?" -- but Brady didn't bite.

"I know what he’s gonna make, he’s gonna make a lot and he deserves it," Brady said. "He’s one of best to ever play. You know, honestly, it’s not about that. When it’s all said and done, I’m not gonna sit and worry about who made more money. All these other quarterbacks in the league and what they make, I don’t care what they get. Whatever works for me and the team, that’s what it’ll be. I don’t really care who makes more."

Those are nice answers and the entire interview is pretty good. But also pretty typical of Brady, who's the consummate team player. Of course, if you presume that the two sides are in the midst of negotiations right now, it wouldn't exactly behoove Brady to come out and bash the team for taking their sweet time to ink him to an extension.

Don't be surprised if you see this deal happen soon.

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