NOTEBOOK: Patriots Trending Upwards

The Patriots have been improving each week as they get more comfortable with the new faces around the roster. They'll need to continue that momentum this week as the games get tougher. Here are some stats and trends to keep an eye on.   Full Story

Patriots running back Sammy Morris is on the mend and could return to the lineup in a couple of weeks.   Full Story

Who are toughest running backs to stuff for a loss? Which receivers are the NFL's top targets? Which rookie linebacker is proving he should have been a first-pick? Special teams aces, offenses struggling with three-downs-and-out situations and much more in Ed Thompson's NFL Quick Count.   Full Story

Week 7 kicks off tomorrow morning and fantasy owners are already gearing up for the second half push. While quarterbacks and running backs gain most of the fantasy spot light, receivers can also play a pivotal role in triumph. This week is no exception as there are an abundance of key wideouts poised for success. Tyson Q’s FFC reveals the top-five receivers for Week 7.   Full Story

The San Diego Chargers were embarrassed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in prime time. Now, the team looks to get better in a hurry with another game under the lights coming around the bend. Here's a look at what worked, what didn't work and what's next for Norv Turner's reeling crew.   Full Story

Sammy Morris had a banner day Sunday. Fred Taylor was his usual productive self, and Kevin Faulk was Mr. Reliable once again. So why were the fans booing? 6 yards on 7 carries, that's why. Patriots running back Laurence Maroney struggled to gain positive yards on all but one of his runs and the fans voiced their displeasure.   Full Story

With the minor league regular season in the books and the major league season winding down, now is as good a time as any to assess the 2009 Oakland A's season. We recently caught-up with A's Director of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi for a lengthy and in-depth discussion on the A's 2009 campaign. In this first part, we discuss the young pitching staff and the outfield situation...   Full Story

John Drennen hit another homer, Jerad Head had four RBI, and Josh Tomlin struck out eight over seven innings to help Akron defeat Reading 9-4 in Game 1 of the Eastern League playoffs. Game 2 of the best-of-five series is set for 7:05 tonight at Canal Park. Akron right-hander Jeanmar Gomez (10-4, 3.43 ERA), the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, will face left-hander Yohan Flande (4-4, 4.58 ERA).   Full Story

Unlike the quarterback position, Kansas’s running back situation has plenty of question marks.   Full Story

Quarterback Philip Rivers is one wealthy guy after signing the richest contract in team history, a $92 million deal that keeps him tied to the Chargers through 2015.   Full Story

The San Diego Chargers anticipate playing the starters into the second half of Saturday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. However, the team's youngsters will be under the most scrutiny. Here are five rookies to watch for.   Full Story

Third-round pick Louis Vasquez made his debut as the starting right guard against the Arizona Cardinals. SDBoltReport.com has reviewed Vasquez's performance and breaks down how the rookie fared.   Full Story

It has been a rocky start for the Chargers' top draft pick, Larry English. The outside linebacker has missed two weeks of practice with a tender hamstring. But English, who has missed two preseason games, isn't getting his feathers ruffled.   Full Story

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox lost 17 of their 28 games in July, as they struggled to get any consistent pitching. Some of their starters pitched well, but they had two arms that had earned run averages over 5.00, and that hurt them in the long run.   Full Story

With training camp now in full throat, there is one question all San Diego Chargers backers want answered: Who's winning the positional battles? Here's where things stand about two weeks after the rookies first reported.   Full Story

FOXBORO -- The magic number is 30. That's the age most teams start jettisoning their running backs due to injury concerns, lack of speed, etc. Not New England, 30 is the magic number at Gillette.   Full Story

This year's draft class is expected to yield some immediate contributions. OG Louis Vasquez is challenging for a starting job; RB Gartrell Johnson is looking to restore some punch to the running game; and DE Vaughn Martin is working to become a two-way force. See these draft picks and others in action in our first training camp photo gallery.   Full Story

Coach Norv Turner canceled the team's practice on Thursday, allowing the rookies and select veterans to rest up in advance of the first full-squad training camp session on Friday. The time off provides a nice one-day buffer for the rookies, because once all the veterans report, everything changes.   Full Story

San Diego Chargers rookies and select veterans report to training camp on Monday, with the first full-squad workout on Friday. SDBoltReport.com sets the table for camp's kickoff by laying out the top-six questions that need to be answered by the time the team breaks camp on Aug. 28.   Full Story

Ryan Webb debuts in Portland and allows a run. Cesar Carrillo gets another win while Logan Forsythe and Anthony Contreras supply the lumber. James Darnell and Matt Clark each hit a pair of homers – Darnell escaping goat status – while Colt Hynes anchors the bullpen. Jon Berger is dynamite for Eugene but the Ems fall in extras.   Full Story

In the final installment of this series we asked AFC East beat writers: Which returning veteran(s) is on the bubble heading into this season?   Full Story

The Chargers put the wraps on their offseason workouts, eagerly looking forward to next month's opening of training camp. What makes them so excited? The lack of players in the trainer's room.   Full Story

Rolando Valdez lasts just one inning in a shutout loss with Triple-A Portland. A four-run innings is enough support for Stephen Faris. Logan Forsythe goes yard and Luis Martinez extends his on base streak to 27. Matt Clark clubs a pair while Anthony Bass is superb again. Jean Corpas picks up another win for the DSL Padres while Manuel Nuno paces the offense with four RBI.   Full Story

The Chargers' offseason coaching sessions have given the team a head-start on training camp. Among the issues the Chargers are working through are finding a starting right guard, settling on a starting strong safety and figuring out their rotation at linebacker.   Full Story

The San Diego Chargers are counting on this year's rookies to make an immediate impact. But is the Class of '09 up to the challenge? SDBoltReport.com lays out the expectations for a handful of rookies.   Full Story