Fantasy Football 2012: Breaking Down the New England Patriots

What can the New England Patriots do for you this fantasy season? Check out Athlon Sports' team report as we break down the rookies, veteran players to watch and avoid, fantasy playoff schedule and more to help you get ready for the 2012 season.

Inside the Locker Room
with Shalise Manza-Young, Boston Globe

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Ranking the NFL's Top 10 Head Coaches in 2012

If you had to hire an head coach today, which NFL head coach would you hire?

Championships. Leadership. Awards. Longevity. Statistical records. Likeability. Talent development.

An NFL head coach can be evaluated with many criteria. Generally, winning championships over a long period of time is the easiest (or not-so-easiest) way to the top of any ranking. Who does more with less? Who gets his team to the playoffs the most consistently? Who is the best motivator? Whose team is best prepared come crunch time? And who has the shiny hardware to back it up?

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2012 NFL Head Coaches: Who is the AFC's Best?

If you had to hire an head coach today, which AFC coach would you hire?

Championships. Leadership. Awards. Longevity. Statistical records. Likeability. Talent development.

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New England Patriots 2012 Schedule Analysis

The Athlon staff breaks down each and every schedule for the 2012 NFL season.

Scheduling plays a huge role in the outcome of every NFL season. So the Athlon NFL editors will spend the next month dissecting each and every week of the 2012 slate for all 32 teams in the league.

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Chad Ochocinco Released by the Patriots

No. 85 is out in New England.

The short stay of Chad Ochocinco in New England ended on Thursday with the Patriots releasing the receiver. Bill Belichick reportedly tried to trade No. 85, but then cut the underperforming wideout in a move that was not surprising. Over the past few years, Ochocinco seemed much more interested in being a celebrity than a top NFL player.

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2012 NFL Must-See Match Ups

Here are some of the upcoming NFL regular-season games you won't want to miss

The NFL released its 2012 regular-season schedule on Tuesday night, laying out the slate of 256 games that will start in September and carry through December. Here are some of the games that caught our attention.

2012’s Must-See NFL Regular-Season Match Ups
(listed in chronological order)

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Rob Gronkowski Really Wants to Be on the Madden 13 Cover

Gronk is campaigning to be the game's cover boy

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, aka "Gronk," is throwing his hat into the ring for The Madden NFL 13 Cover in a big way. Gronk recently put together a video of himself "getting jacked at all times, going crazy" in a bid to win votes. BTW, we're loving the retro work out pants worn by his brothers.

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Super Bowl XLVI Hall of Famers

Will another Super Bowl win punch Eli Manning's ticket to the Hall of Fame in Canton?

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee will meet in Indianapolis on Feb. 4, the day before Super Bowl XLVI, to debate and vote on the 2012 Hall of Fame class — which will be the 50th class honored in Canton, Ohio. This year’s field has been narrowed down to 15 modern-era finalists and two senior nominees.

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Giants or Patriots: Our Super Bowl Selections

New England looks for revenge from New York’s Super Bowl XLII victory.

It’s almost here. The New England Patriots and New York Giants will meet in another Super Bowl on Sunday, and the two stalwart franchises seem very evenly-matched. Both squads have old-school coaches in Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin, and each will have his team well-prepared for a game that will probably be decided by a couple of key plays.

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Super Bowl XLVI by the Numbers

A look at some numbers and statistics related to Sunday's game

The New England Patriots and the New York Giants will face one another in Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday in Indianapolis. As football fans across the country, not to mention the world, get ready for the “Big Game,” here are some numbers to whet your appetite.

1 – Times Indianapolis has hosted the Super Bowl. The game will be played in Lucas Oli Stadium, which is home to the Indianapolis Colts, and it will have a Manning playing in it. Only it’s Eli, and not Peyton.