Pigskin night school: the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots take time off from world domination to teach chumps like you how to throw, juke, tackle, and kick

Your annual full-tackle Reunion Bowl is just around the corner, so ponder this: Would you rather be remembered as a gridiron conqueror or a bumbling doofus in your buddy's highlight reel? MF got the Pats to drop some knowledge into your playbook.

THROWING A SPIRAL WITH QB ROHAN DAVEY

The Pat's backup quarterback's job is to be ready to fill in for two-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady. Rohan Davey, NFL Europe's 2004 Offensive Player of the Year, is that man. Here's how he gets some giddyup on his balls.

The Grip: "Everyone throws their spirals differently," says Davey. "I like to have my fingers across the top of the strings, more on the meat of the football, as opposed to the end of the ball."

The Finish: "The follow-through is what gives you the spiral. You let go with your thumb, and the fingers slide off the laces. Your hand should turn over and, by the end, your palm should be facing toward the ground."

JUKING, WITH RECEIVER DEION BRANCH

Deion Branch jets down the field armed with flypaper hands, but it's his lightning-quick cuts that make him a star receiver. Last season, Branch led the Pats with 57 catches for 803 yards, a master of "YAC" (yards after the catch). Here's how he jukes defenders out of their socks.

The Stop: "The 'juke' has to be one fluid movement," says Branch. "But you also have to come to a complete stop for a split second. If you stop, the defender's going to stop. At that point, you should know where you're going next."

The Smooth Move: "I used to move my body more, but that doesn't help. You're not going anywhere and you're just wasting energy. The less movement you have, the more effective you will be."

TACKLING, WITH SAFETY RODNEY HARRISON

When we mentioned tackling to 11-year veteran safety Rodney Harrison, he just about dove at us. "As much as big hits are publicized, there's nothing like the art of tackling" says Harrison, who led the Pats D last year with 140 tackles (105 solo).

The Size-up: "I look at the runner's core--his hips, his abs. As much as the head moves [here Harrison shakes his head like a bobble-head doll], it's only when the core moves [he does the twist] that will show you where he's going."

The Takedown: "A guy can't run if his legs aren't moving. So I try to get his legs, squeeze them, and he will go down."

KICKING FIELD GOALS, WITH ADAM VINATIERI

Pats kicker Adam Vinatieri has made two Super Bowl-winning kicks in the past three years. He's also converted more than 80% of his field goals in eight years with New England.

The Setup: "I know where the holder is going to place the ball," says Vinatieri. "Once it hits that spot in his hands, you put your plant foot [his left foot] about shoulder-width from the ball and point it right on the target."

The Swing: "I kick soccer-style, with the instep of my kicking foot. You wait for the ball to hit that spot and be in the holder's hands. Look at the ball the whole time. Your foot should just sweep the ground and hit the ball two-thirds of the way down the ball. And, like in golf, follow through."

COPYRIGHT 2005 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning