In their first meeting, the Wildcat ran wild. Miami's star running back and New England's head coach tackle the unorthodox formation. Plus, news and notes from Wednesday's practice.
The Patriots head into Sunday's game at Miami tied with the Dolphins for second place in a highly competitive AFC East. The winner of the contest will answer a few questions heading down the stretch toward the postseason. For all the other questions surrounding the Patriots we bring another wide-ranging edition of Ask PFW.
After seeing the Dolphins' Wildcat formation rip it to shreds in Week 3, New England is doing everything it can to prevent a repeat performance this weekend.
Joey Porter's running his mouth again. Read all about that and the other news and notes leading up to this weekend's Patriots-Dolphins game in today's Patriots.com News Blitz.
36 James Sanders S
Height: 5-10 Weight: 210 Year: 3 Yrs/Pat: 3 Acquired: D4-05 (133rd overall) School: Fresno State Major: Health Science Born: Nov 11, 1983
Personal
James Sanders was born son of Kathy and Keith Thompson on November 11, 1983 in Porterville, Calif. ... Attended Monache (Pomerville, Calif) High School ... Was team captain and MVP in 2000 ... Named to the Fresno Bee All-Star first-team defensive squad ...Two-time first-team All-East Yosemite League selection ... Set a school record with 106 tackles and six interceptions, adding 22 stops for losses during his senior year to earn League MVP honors ... Also played receiver, running back and returned punts and kicks ... Was a Health Science major at Fresno State.
Career Transactions
James Sanders was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round (133rd overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft ... Signed by the Patriots (7/20/05).
Career Highlights
Career GP/GS: 26/7 (5/3)
2006 Season
2006 (16/5/0/0): Tied for the team lead in tackles once in 2006 (vs. DET) ... Tied for the team lead in quarterback hits once in 2006 (at TEN) ... Tied for the team lead in sacks once in 2006 (at TEN) ... Tied for the team lead in special teams tackles twice in 2006 (at CIN, at BUF).
Buffalo (9/10): Played in a reserve role at safety in the Patriots' 19-17 victory over the Bills. at N.Y. Jets (9/17): Saw limited action on special teams in the Patriots' 24-17 win over the N.Y. Jets. Denver (9/24): Saw significant action at safety in the second half and registered a tackle ... Teamed with Tedy Bruschi to stonewall Tatum Bell for a 2-yard loss on a rush off left end in the fourth quarter. at Cincinnati (10/1): Played in a reserve role on special teams coverage units ... Tied for the team lead with two special teams stops in the Patriots' commanding 38-13 victory over the Bengals ... Teamed with Willie Andrews to tackle Kenny Watson at the Bengals' 18-yard line on a kickoff return in the second quarter. vs. Miami (10/8): Saw action on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 20-10 win over the Dolphins. at Buffalo (10/22): Made a tackle on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 28-6 road victory over the Bills. at Minnesota (10/30): Collected a special teams tackle in the Patriots' commanding 31-7 road win against the Vikings. Indianapolis (11/5): Collected a special teams tackle on coverage units. vs. N.Y. Jets (11/12): Played in a reserve role at safety in nickel situations and registered two tackles. at Green Bay (11/19): Started at safety ... Recorded three tackles (2 solo) in the Patriots' 35-0 road victory over the Packers. vs. Chicago (11/26): Started at safety and collected a career-high seven tackles (5 solo) and a quarterback hit in the Patriots' 17-13 victory over the Bears ... Teamed with Ty Warren to stuff Thomas Jones for no gain on a rush off right end in the first quarter. vs. Detroit (12/3): Started at safety ... Tied for the team lead with 11 tackles (5 solo) in the Patriots' 28- 21 comeback victory over the Lions. at Miami (12/10): Started at safety and notched three tackles (1 solo). vs. Houston (12/17): Started at safety ... Notched seven solo tackles and an interception in the Patriots' commanding 40-7 victory over the Texans ... Made a one-handed interception after Tedy Bruschi deflected a David Carr pass intended for Eric Moulds in the first quarter. at Jacksonville (12/24): Saw significant action in a reserve role as the nickel back in the Patriots' 24-21 division-clinching win over the Jaguars ... Registered four tackles (3 solo) ... Teamed with Ellis Hobbs to stop Matt Jones for a 7-yard gain on a third-and-nine play in the first quarter ... Made a nice open-field tackle on Maurice Jones-Drew to limit him to a 6-yard gain on a third-and-eight play in the opening stanza. at Tennessee (12/31): Saw significant action at safety after Rodney Harrison left the game in the second quarter ... Posted seven tackles (6 solo) and a sack in the Patriots' 40-23 victory over the Titans ... Dropped Vince Young for a 5-yard sack late in the second quarter.
2006 Postseason (3/3/0/0): vs. N.Y. Jets (1/7): Made the start at safety ... Recorded four tackles (2 solo) in the Patriots' 37-16 AFC Wild Card victory over the N.Y. Jets ... Combined with Mike Vrabel to stop Leon Washington for no gain on a rush off right tackle in the third quarter ... Knocked down a pass intended r Jerricho Cotchery in the fourth quarter. at San Diego (1/14): Started at safety ... Posted six tackles (5 solo) and a sack in the Patriots' 24-21 AFC Divisional ayoff victory over the Chargers ... Sacked Philip Rivers for a 10-yard loss on a third-and-17 play in the third quarter. at Indianapolis (1/21): Started at fety ... Finished tied for second on the team with seven tackles (5 solo) ... Collected a solo tackle on special teams coverage units.
2005 Season
2005 (10/2/0/6): Saw action in first career NFL contest against Atlanta (10/09/05) … Made his first career start at safety against Denver (10/16/05) … Registered his first career interception and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown against Buffalo (12/11/05) … Collected 14 tackles (10 solo) and an interception return for a touchdown in 10 games. Oakland (9/8): Inactive. at Carolina (9/18): Inactive. at Pittsburgh (9/25): Inactive. San Diego (10/2): Inactive. at Atlanta (10/9): Saw action as a reserve at safety and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots’ 31-28 win over the Falcons. at Denver (10/16): Made his first career NFL start and collected two solo tackles. Buffalo (10/30): Inactive. Indianapolis (11/7): Inactive. at Miami (11/13): Saw limited action at safety and tallied a solo tackle in defensive play during the Patriots’ 23-16 road victory over the Dolphins … Recorded a special teams tackle on coverage units. New Orleans (11/20): Saw limited action at safety and on special teams coverage units in the Patriots’ 24-17 win over the Saints. at Kansas City (11/27): Played primarily on special teams coverage units. N.Y. Jets (12/4): Saw action as the dime back and notched two tackles in defensive play during the Patriots’ 16-3 victory over the Jets … Tied for the team lead with two special teams stops … Limited Justin Miller to a 7-yard kickoff return with a bonecrushing special teams tackle in the third quarter. at Buffalo (12/11): Collected a tackle and an interception return for a score in the Patriots’ commanding 35-7 road victory over the Bills … Blitzed from the edge and forced JP Losman to throw an incompletion on third-and-11 late in the third quarter … Grabbed a tipped pass by Tedy Bruschi and returned the interception 39 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay (12/17): Saw limited action as a defensive back in the Patriots’ 28-0 shutout victory over the Buccaneers … Played on special teams coverage units in the win. at N.Y. Jets (12/26): Saw action as the dime back and notched a solo tackle in the Patriots’ 31-21 victory over the Jets … Recovered a fumble after Adam Vinatieri’s kickoff bounced off David Barrett’s leg late in the second quarter. Miami (1/1): Started at safety and registered seven tackles (6 solo) … Tied for the team lead with two special teams stops.
2005 Postseason (2/0/0/0): Jacksonville (1/7): Saw action on special teams coverage units in the Patriots' 28-3 AFC Wild Card victory over the Jaguars. at Denver (1/14): Registered a solo special teams tackle on coverage units.
College
Started 32 of the 40 games he played for Fresno State … For his career, recorded 238 tackles (120 solo) and 24 tackles for losses totaling 80 yards … Intercepted seven passes, returning one for a touchdown, and recorded 18 pass deflections … He tallied seven sacks, forced two fumbles and recovered two… Also blocked three kicks on special teams. 2004 (Junior): Earned All-Western Athletic Conference honors for the second-straight year … Started all but one game … Finished third on the team with 63 tackles (29 solo) … Had two sacks for minus 16 yards and 6.5 stops for losses of 35 yards … Recovered and caused two fumbles … Gained 60 yards with a touchdown on three interceptions and defl ected five passes … Also blocked a kick … Opened the season against Washington with seven tackles (3 solo), a 7-yard sack, 1.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and a 19-yard interception return for a touchdown … Made four tackles (2 solo) and had a 41-yard interception return against Kansas State … Blocked an extra point attempt against Louisiana Tech … Posted six tackles (5 solo) and recovered a fumble against Texas-El Paso … Posted nine tackles (2 solo) and two stops for losses of 12 yards against Boise State … Totaled nine tackles (3 solo) with a stop behind the line of scrimmage against Hawaii … Collected four tackles (2 solo) with a 9-yard sack, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble against San Jose State … Closed out his career with seven tackles (4 solo) and a pair of pass breakups against Virginia in the MPC Computers Bowl. 2003 (Sophomore): The only sophomore on the All-Western Athletic Conference first-team … Played in every game, starting ten contests at strong safety … Led the team with a career-high 93 tackles (55 solo), including two sacks for minus 11 yards and 8.5 stops for losses of 25 yards … Intercepted two passes and deflected four … Also blocked two kicks. Opened the season with a 7-tackle (4 solo) performance against Tennessee … Against Oregon State, posted seven tackles (5 solo) and twice stopped tailback Steven Jackson behind the line of scrimmage for losses totaling five yards … Blocked a punt and delivered four tackles against Oklahoma … Registered eight tackles (4 solo) with a stop for a 1-yard loss and an interception against Colorado State … Posted 11 tackles (10 solo) and a de-fl ected pass against Hawaii … Had eight tackles (3 solo) and blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt against Rice … Produced a season-high 12 tackles (5 solo) with a pair of sacks for minus 11 yards, 3.5 stops for losses of 15 yards and a pass deflection against San Jose State … Picked off a pass and made nine tackles (7 solo) against Texas El-Paso … Recorded another nine tackles (6 solo) against UCLA in the Silicon Valley Classic. 2002 (Freshman): First-team Freshman All-American selection by the Football Writers of America and third-team honors from The Sporting News … Honorable mention All-WAC … Played in every game and started 11 at strong safety … Finished second on the team with 82 tackles (36 solo) … Credited with three sacks for minus nine yards and nine stops for losses of 20 yards … Intercepted two passes for 23 yards in returns and had nine pass deflections … Made his collegiate debut with five tackles (3 solo) against Wisconsin … Followed with six tackles (3 solo), a 2-yard sack and a pass break-up against San Diego State … Collected four tackles, deflected a pass and intercepted another for a 26-yard return against Oregon State … Registered a season-high 12 tackles and batted away a pass against Rice … Had five tackles with three stops behind the line of scrimmage, a pass deflection and broke up a two-point conversion attempt against Colorado State … Delivered seven tackles (4 solo) with a 6-yard sack and two pass deflections against Hawaii … Made nine tackles (4 solo) with two stops for losses of three yards and a pass breakup against Tulsa … Produced six tackles with a 1-yard sack and had an interception for a loss of three yards against Georgia Tech in the Silicon Valley Classic.
High School
Attended Monache (Porterville, Calif.) High School … Named to the Fresno Bee All-Star first-team defensive squad … Two-time first-team All-East Yosemite League selection … Set a school record with 106 tackles and six interceptions, adding 22 stops for losses during his senior year to earn League MVP honors … Also played receiver, running back and returned punts and kicks … Blocked three punts … Team captain and MVP in 2000.
Extra Points
James is the oldest of six children, and began taking care of his five younger siblings at an early age.
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