New England Patriots Seating Chart

The New England Patriots fell short of the playoffs last year, but the team will welcome back its star quarterback in 2009 while saying goodbye to the one that led them to a surprisingly strong 2008 season.

Tom Brady is 100 percent healthy after reconstructive knee surgery and is looking forward to getting back out on the field and proving that he is still the best at his position. Meanwhile, the team traded quarterback Matt Cassel and veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs for a draft pick.

The Vrabel move was made for salary reasons and because the team believes he is nearing the end as an effective linebacker.

Despite the return of Brady, the team wasn't going to just sit back and stay comfortable with the current team. The Patriots added veteran running back Fred Taylor as well as tight end Chris Baker to the mix.

As for the return of Brady, it will occur at Gillette Stadium against the Buffalo Bills. It should be quite the game with Brady's return and Terrell Owens first game in a Buffalo uniform.

The Patriots will have to play the AFC South and NFC South this year, which is not an enviable task. Those two divisions have been very balances for the past few years now.

Outside of those two divisions, the Patriots will play host to the Ravens and travel to Denver to take on the Broncos. The Ravens should be tough, but it will be a huge advantage playing that game at home.

Despite the absence of Tony Dungy and Marvin Harrison, the Sunday night game on November 15 against the rival Indianapolis Colts will be one of the most anticipated games of the season. The Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers rivalry seems to have eclipsed that between the Colts and Patriots, but it's still very good.