Eric Lee Turning Heads

Background on Eric Lee

Patriots head Coach Bill Belichick has a talent for finding hidden talents. It appears this season he may have done it again.

Last month the Patriots claimed Eric Lee off waivers from the Buffalo Bills practice team. In New England Lee has already made a name for himself. In his second year in the NFL, Lee has bounced around a bit. Before the Patriots claimed him, Lee spent a season on the Houston Texans practice squad and began this season on the Buffalo Bills practice squad. So far in New England, he’s surpassed expectations and filled a void the Patriots badly needed to close.

Photo Credit: AP Photo

Early Impact

Lee has only played two games with the Patriots and he’s made his presence felt. The defensive end made his debut with the Patriots two weeks ago against the Miami Dolphins. He recorded four tackles and a sack. Lee even got the attention of Tom Brady. He didn’t even know Lee before the game. Lee was an even bigger factor last week. In the Patriots win against the Buffalo Bills, he had four tackles, a sack, and a key interception. In the first quarter with the Bills driving, Lee picked off Tyrod Taylor at the goal line. This not only gave the Patriots momentum, but took away the opportunity for the Bills to get a key touchdown. Making plays like that are what will get Lee playing time. So far in New England he’s played like he has a chip on his shoulder.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Outlook for Remainder of Season

This season the Patriots have faced a lot of adversity at the defensive end position. The Patriots drafted Derek Rivers in the third round of the NFL draft in the spring, but he tore his ACL in August. The Pats then traded for Cassius Marsh from the Seattle Seahawks. He struggled in New England and the Patriots cut him after nine games. Lee has given the Patriots consistency when they’ve needed it the most. If he can continue this, he will soon become a household name in Foxborough.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/ Steve Cannon

Matt Beleskey May Be One of the Biggest Bust in Recent Years

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When the Bruins signed forward Matt Beleskey in the summer of 2015 many viewed him as a potential replacement for Milan Lucic on the left side of David Krejci. Worst case scenario was that he became a physical third-line winger with the ability to get some dirty goals, right? Wrong, not even the most bitter Bruins fan could have predicted this. The Matt Beleskey era in Boston has been quite forgettable. Not something you want to hear about someone who pulls in $3.8M a year.

Lack of Production

Playoff production landed Belesky at the top of the 2015 free agency list. For Anaheim, the left wing put up eight goals, and nine points playing alongside Ryan Getzlaf. In an overall down year in the forward department, Beleskey seemed like a great offensive addition for a forward-hungry Bruins team. But to put it lightly, things have not gone according to plan. In 143 games for the Boston Bruins, Beleskey has scored18 goals, 27 assist, for 45 points, and has a horrible -12 rating. In his last 63 games, the left winger has only eight points, and is a -18. That includes zero points in 14 games played this season. Zero.

On top of that, he seems to make an atrocious turnover whenever Cassidy unglues him from the bench. At this point, Beleskey brings more value from the press box because at least the Bruins won’t carry dead weight on the bench.

Lack of Physicality

Recently, a lot of people speculate that the Bruins need to add some toughness. This is very valid, especially with the way teams have been taking luxuries with late hits on Bruins forwards recently. Don Sweeney has to start shopping for a veteran forward to add some snarl to the lineup. Beleskey, supposed to be the tough guy on the team, has proved, useless. His defensive performance as noted has and continues to be, horrible with his -18 rating over the past two seasons. But even his physicality has taken a step back. Last season’s Beleskey compiled 98 hits, the lowest amount since 2010-2011. He will drop the gloves, leading the team with three fighting majors. But his fights are meaningless if he cannot continue the physical play during the game.

Now Sweeney has some major roster moves to make and Matt Beleskey could be the one to go.

A Look Back at Belichick’s History at Miami

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Bill Belichick is unarguably one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history. However, he has a pedestrian 8-9 record when his Patriots travel to Miami. Let’s look at some great and not so great moments from the Patriots’ recent history of playing in South Florida. Interestingly, Belichick has coached for so long, the stadium itself has underwent 5 name changes since he took over for the Pats!

BELICHICK & THE FIRST DYNASTY

Eliot J. Schechter

The first meeting between the teams with Coach Belichick on the sidelines was a unmemorable 10-3 loss. The 2000 Dolphins were a playoff team; the Patriots were not. They managed a meager 210 total yards on the day. New England finished 2000 with a 5-11 record.

In Tom Brady’s first loss as a starting quarterback in the NFL, the Patriots jumped out to a quick lead. However, they did not reach the end zone again. Miami routed the Patriots, 30-10. The loss dropped New England to 1-3.

No one in their right mind would have ever figured that this club would go on to win the Super Bowl that season. After the game, Coach Belichick buried the ball. The Patriots finished that season by winning 13 of their 15 and their first World Championship. The Dolphins also finished the season at 11-5 but were pummeled by Baltimore in the wild card game.

In 2003, the Patriots came back to win in Miami in overtime. Brady was sensational all game, but could not find the end zone until late in the fourth. He hit David Givens with just under two minutes to play to tie the game at 13.

The stage was set for one of the great moments of the 2003 season. Brady launched a terrific deep shot to Troy Brown about nine minutes into overtime. Brown caught the bomb in stride and was gone. The play went for 82-yards.

New England finished 2003 with their second world championship. Miami finished 10-6 and out of the playoffs.

Perhaps the most embarrassing loss of the Bill Belichick era occurred on a Monday night late in the 2004 season. The game is known in Miami as “the night courage wore orange.” New England came into the game winners of 27 of their last 28 games. Miami was 2-11.

The Patriots took a 28-17 lead with about four minutes left. Then, they collapsed. Brady was intercepted twice late in the game. Hence, Miami scored the tremendous upset, 29-28.

Who played well for Miami that night? Sammy Morris and Wes Welker. So, Coach Belichick must have taken good notes!

BELICHICK HAS HAD GREAT AND TERRIBLE GAMES IN MIAMI

Marc Serota

Brady may have had his worst game in the NFL when the teams faced in 2006. Hall of Famer Jason Taylor was all over the field in Miami’s 21-0 victory. Let this sink in: Brady threw for less than 100 yards on the day!

That bad taste must have lingered for Brady as he came back in 2007 and lit the Dolphins up. Brady was a phenomenal 21 for 25 for 354 yards and six touchdowns. Two of the scores went to Randy Moss on circus catches. As we know, New England finished 16-0 in 2007. How about the Dolphins? 1-15.

The Patriots again pounded Miami late in the 2008 season. Matt Cassel threw for over 400 yards and added a rushing touchdown. Moss caught three touchdown passes.

The win gave New England a 7-4 record. The loss dropped Miami to 6-5. Unfortunately for the Patriots, the Dolphins did not lose another regular season game. Although both teams finished 11-5, Miami held the tiebreaker. They did not represent the AFC East well in the playoffs as Ed Reed and the Ravens destroyed Miami in the first round.

The Patriots suffered a horrendous loss in Miami during the 2009 season. Brady struggled much of the season rebounding from his ACL injury. Anyway, they blew a 21-10 lead, losing 22-21 on Dan Carpenter’s last-minute field goal.

The Patriots were far better in 2010. On an early season Monday night game, they walloped the Dolphins thanks to 35 second-half points. New England scored on a kickoff return, interception return, and a blocked field goal return. They also blocked a punt that led to a touchdown.

The 2010 season was a triumph and a failure for the Pats. They finished with a resounding 14-2 record destroying most teams in the process even while they traded Randy Moss. However, they were defeated in the playoffs by Rex Ryan and his New York Jets.

In New England’s 2011 game in Miami, Tom Brady went off. He recorded 517 passing yards including a 99-yarder to Wes Welker while the game was still in doubt.

The ’11 Patriots were all guts. Thus, they survived a very tough AFC to get to the Super Bowl. The Dolphins were terrible that season leading to Tony Sparano’s firing.

BELICHICK & THE SECOND DYNASTY

Steve Mitchell

The Patriots struggled in Miami from 2013-2015. Two of those losses proved to be very costly. Had the Pats won in Miami in December in the 2013 and 2015 season, they would have had home field advantage. Who knows? They may have gone to four straight Super Bowls had they not had to play in Denver for the AFC title.

The 2013 loss to Miami featured four shots from the Dolphins ten-yard line with New England trailing 24-20. The Dolphins held their ground dropping New England to a 10-4 mark. Notably, Rob Gronkowski missed that game due to his ACL tear. No doubt he could have helped during that red zone opportunity!

The Patriots opened their 2014 season in Miami and wilted in the Florida heat. Overall, New England had a lousy offensive month in September 2014 culminating in a beat down by KC later in the month.

Their poor start served as a catalyst to an excellent season, however, as New England went on to become Super Bowl XLIX champions. Miami went an uninspiring 8-8 in 2014.

The teams met in the 2015 season finale. The Patriots ravaged by injuries played and coached terribly. The Pats’ offensive line was owned by Miami’s pass rush. Unfortunately that served as a recipe for Denver’s powerful performance against the Patriots in the AFC championship game.

In many ways, Coach Belichick had his worst hour on that Sunday in Miami. He wanted to pound the rock with veteran Stephen Jackson, but it didn’t work. He wanted to protect Tom Brady from injury and that didn’t work. Likewise, he wanted to shut down Miami’s poor offense in the red zone late in the game. Yes, that did not work. Belichick has done some masterful work as New England’s head coach. But, on this day, he let his team down.

In last year’s season finale, Belichick did not let the same thing happen. He stepped on the gas from the go. And, when Miami made a mini-rally, New England jumped on their throats. Ironically, Martellus Bennett, Julian Edelman, Michael Floyd and Shea McClellin made the big plays in this game. Ironic because none of those guys will be on the field this week for the Pats just 11 months later. Floyd will be with Minnesota against Carolina, while the other three guys are out for the season.

What is in store for this week? With a win, Coach Belichick will be 9-9 in South Florida. I think it happens. New England 34, Miami 23.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Does Jayson Tatum Have a Shot at Winning Rookie of the Year?

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The NBA Rookie of the Year race has everyone excited this year. Although there is some stiff competition, Jayson Tatum has been quite efficient on both sides of the ball thus far. Does he have shot at winning? Let’s discuss:

Tatum’s Smooth Transition

Celtics’ small forward Jayson Tatum has been nothing short of impressive. Coming out of Duke as the third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, he averages 14 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. This kid is also leading the league in three-point percentage at 51.9 — as a rookie. His ability to get to the hoop, shoot the mid range and even the three has his teammates in awe. Kyrie Irving admits to being a fan since Tatum was a sophomore in high school. Al Horford also can’t help but praise his rookie. He refers to Tatum’s level of play on offense AND defense as one of the best he’s seen from a first year player. No issues with transitioning over here!

Stiff Competition

I think we can all agree that this year’s NBA rookie class has an insane amount of talent. Let’s take a look at some of the other top performing rookies from around the league:

Ben Simmons of the 76ers averages 18 points, 7.1 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game. Just last week he put up 31 points and had 18 rebounds against the Wizards. He’s shooting 50% from the floor.
Utah’s Donovan Mitchell has found his stride and is averaging 17.2 points per game. He became the first rookie since Blake Griffin in 2011 to score 40+ points in a game. He’s shooting 53.3% from the floor so far in December.
Kyle Kuzma, the unlikely breakout star of the Lakers, has outplayed fellow rookie Lonzo Ball. He averages 16.8 points and 6.5 rebounds. He was the Western Conference Rookie of the Month in November.
Dennis Smith Jr. of the Dallas Mavericks averages 14.4 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds a game. His style of play has even garnered praise from LeBron James.

So Who Wins?

Jayson Tatum deserves the nod. His overall season stats are modest but admirable, while the other rooks have some work to do. Tatum is the only one shooting 50% or more from the floor AND from three. Mitchell is right there with him when it comes to free throws, with both players shooting roughly 82%. But other than that, Tatum is the clear front-runner so far if we’re going to look at the numbers. Just last night he put up 17 points and 10 rebounds in the win against the Mavs. Unfortunately, there are people who already want to give the nod Simmons. This is mainly due to how ‘The Process’ has revived the 76ers, with him being a crucial part of it.

My gripe: Ben Simmons is technically not a rookie, so everyone needs to take him out of the conversation. It’s not our fault he missed his first season due to a foot injury. No do-overs allowed.

But if you’re going to look outside of Tatum, keep an eye on Donovan Mitchell. His performance has helped to revive the Jazz since Gordon Hayward’s departure. He’ll continue to excite.

Really though, you should just root for Tatum. If he continues to play at this level, he’ll have Simmons’s bandwagoners jumping ship.

The Greatest Right Fielders in Red Sox History

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As I draw near the end of my series of articles on the greatest Red Sox at each position, I come to the right fielders. This group of five right fielders are the final defensive position left to cover. Following this article I will still have the designated hitters to go and a wrap up. There were not many competitors for the top five, yet the group is quite solid.

Dwight Evans

Dwight Evans is both the greatest offensive and greatest defensive right fielder in Red Sox history. Personally, I am a strong advocate of “Dewey” getting his number retired. Always underrated nationally, Dewey received frighteningly little support for the Hall of Fame and has not been brought up by any veteran’s committee for election. I believe if he had hit in the 70’s like he did during the 80’s he would probably be a Hall of Famer.

Evans batted .272 with 379 home runs, 1346 RBI and 2373 base hits as a Red Sox. He walked a lot, leading the league in walks three times. This helped him to a .369 on base percentage and .842 OPS. In Boston Red Sox history he ranks 5th in home runs, 4th in base hits, 4th in doubles, 5th in RBI, 3rd in runs scored and 3rd in walks. As I stated earlier, Dewey developed as a hitter over time and was a dangerous one at the plate in the 80’s. During that decade he hit 30 home runs three times and drove in over 100 runs four times. His average season was .280 with 26 home runs, 90 RBI and a .385/.497/.882. A great fielder who can put up numbers like that? How did he fall off the ballot after three years?

When it comes to fielding, Dwight Evans not only had a strong glove but a strongarm. He accumulated 155 assists from right field. He led the league in this category three times and in putouts four times. Evans had a career .987 fielding percentage in right field. All of this led to Dewey winning a total of eight Gold Gloves.

Evans twice finished in the top five for MVP votes. In 1981, a season shortened by a strike, Evans led the league in home runs, walks, OPS and WAR. He finished third in the MVP vote that year, but probably deserved better. Had he won the MVP like some statistics suggest he should have, maybe he would have garnered more respect from Hall of Fame voters. He was also batting .341 with a 1.031 OPS at the time of the strike on June 11th, so it interrupted a fantastic start to the season for him.

Jackie Jensen

I am giving Jackie Jensen the nod at number two given his dominance over a six-year stretch. Jensen spent seven years with the Sox after returning for one season following a short retirement. He batted .282 with the Red Sox, hitting 170 home runs. Jensen had an excellent .374/.478/.852 slash line.

During his first six seasons, 1954-59, Jensen batted .285 and averaged 26 home runs and 111 runs batted in per season. He had two 20-20 seasons and led the league in RBI three times in five seasons. The only season he didn’t reach 100 RBI was 1956, when he drove in 97 and led the league with 11 triples. He won the MVP in 1958 when he bashed 35 homers and drove in 122 runs. The next season he hit 28 home runs and won the Gold Glove Award.

Following the 1959 season Jackie Jensen abruptly retired. A large reason for his retirement during his prime and at the age of 32 was due to a fear of flying. The Major Leagues were expanding and new teams were popping up on the other side of the country. Flying was becoming more constant and Jensen could hardly bear it. The other reason was being away from his family so many months of the year, but I’m sure if he didn’t have to fly he would not have retired. Jensen came back in 1961 after a year off. However, following a year layoff he was only okay. Jensen batted .263 with 13 home runs and decided to retire for good.

Harry Hooper

Hooper played with the Red Sox for 12 seasons during the dead-ball era. He was a part of the “golden outfield” with Tris Speaker and Duffy Lewis. The three of them formed one of the greatest outfields in the early days. Hooper was considered a great defender, leading the league in putouts seven times and assists three times. He had 30 outfield assists in 1910.

At the plate, Hooper batted .272 with 1707 base hits. Having played in the dead-ball era, Hooper did not hit many home runs. However, Hooper did hit 130 triples as a Red Sox. Hooper also stole 300 bases during his 12 seasons with the team. He also came up with some clutch hits, batting .293 in World Series play. In 1915 he batted .350 and hit two homers during the series against the Phillies. Hooper won four World Series with the Red Sox.

Outfielder Harry Hooper of the Boston Red Sox bats before a game during the 1909 season at Huntington Avenue Grounds. (Photo by National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

Tony Conigliaro

Everyone knows Tony C’s story. It is my belief had he not been hit by that pitch in the eye, Conigliaro would have hit 500 home runs and potentially threatened 600. It is practically a guarantee he would be at least number two on this list, if not first. As it stands, he is one of the biggest what-ifs in sports history. However, do not think he is only on here for what might have been. During the time he had with the Red Sox, Conigliaro hit 162 home runs. He hit 32 home runs at the age of 20 in 1965. He would then go on to become the youngest American Leaguer to ever reach 100 career home runs.

Conigliaro had 104 home runs at the time of his beaning. This came over the course of two full seasons and two partial seasons. He had averaged 35 home runs per 162 games played. In 1970, his second season back from the horrific beaning, Conigliaro hit a career high 36 home runs. Still just 25 years old, he seemed to have recuperated and be entering his prime. Unfortunately his eyesight took a turn for the worse in the offseason and he was never able to have success again. Despite the what-ifs, Tony C was still one of the bigger power hitters Fenway Park has seen.

Trot Nixon

The ultimate “dirt dog” rounds out the top five. Trot was seemingly a prospect forever, having been drafted seventh overall in 1993. Trot didn’t become a full-time Major Leaguer until 1999. He proceeded to have a few solid seasons and a couple excellent ones. Nixon was a .278 hitter in Boston with 133 home runs and 912 base hits. He had some very nice rate stats, hitting to a .366/.478/.845 slash line.

From 2001-2003, Nixon hit 79 home runs. 2003 was his best season, batting .306 with 28 home runs and a .975 OPS. He was also very good in 2004, when he was on the field. Nixon missed a lot of time that year but was able to contribute to the Red Sox breaking the curse. Thanks in part to his “all out” play, Nixon missed a lot of time over those next couple seasons with injuries.

Honorable Mentions:

One can expect a certain current Red Sox player to be joining these ranks in the not too distant future…

Mookie Betts, J.D. Drew, Tom Brunansky

Greatest Right-Handed Pitchers

Greatest Left-Handed Pitchers

Greatest Relief Pitchers

Greatest Catchers

Greatest First Basemen

Greatest Second Basemen

Greatest Third Basemen

Greatest Shortstops

Greatest Left Fielders

Greatest Center Fielders

John Farrell Opens Up About Being Fired

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John Farrell on MLB Network

John Farrell exits as Red Sox manager.

John Farrell was fired and Alex Cora was named the new Red Sox manager. On Wednesday’s Hot Stove Show on MLB Network, Farrell opened up about his firing. He admitted that it was hard for him to accept the firing after the success he had:

“In some ways, yes, because I felt we as a team, as an organization, as a coaching staff, we were proud of the number of accomplishments that we had there. Including as you saw in 2013 and back-to-back championships in the AL East the last couple of years”.

Farrell Respects The Firing

Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell speaks during a news conference, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, before his team’s workout as they prepare for Sunday’s Game 3 of baseball’s American League Division Series against the Houston Astros in Boston. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Farrell had a record of 432-378 in the regular season with the Red Sox. He also talked about how everything has a shelf life:

“But hey, every situation has a shelf life and a change was made. I respect the change that did take place.”

Farrell gave credit to Alex Cora and that championships matter in this city, not just winning the division.

“Coming out of five years in which there might have been the most scrutiny on a team. On an individual player or a manager, and that’s Boston. But that’s also what draws people to those places,” he said. “The expectation is high and the ability to win is there every single year. If that’s not in your DNA, if that’s not what you aspire to do. To win then maybe those places aren’t for you.”

Farrell Gives Advice to Alex Cora and Aaron Boone

He also talked about the scrutiny that Alex Cora now faces as the manager of the Red Sox. His advice also reached out to Aaron Boone, who is the manager of the Yankees.

“They need to understand it’s the seat in which they sit in, it’s not them individually and personally. Things are going to get thrown their way just because of the job that you have.”

Farrell also said he’s talked to other teams but will take some down time. A year ago today the Red Sox singed Chris Sale. A year later they have a new manager and are looking for a power hitter.

Josh McDaniels Controls His Own Future

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Another head coaching opportunity might be available for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels this offseason. The New York Giants have reportedly reached out to McDaniels as a potential candidate for their vacant head coach position after firing Ben McAdoo earlier this week. NBC Sports’s Mike Giardi reports that when asked about his interest in the position in a conference call on Tuesday, McDaniels gave a reserved response:

“I’m just interested in the Dolphins right now. That’s where my focus is at and that’s where it’s going to stay.”

Josh McDaniels has not served as a head coach since 2010 with the Denver Broncos. However, he has been in the running for head coaching positions that have popped up in the past two offseasons. He fielded interest from the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers for their head coach vacancies in the past two years. He shut down each offer, and expressed that he is more than content in New England.

McDaniels has built up a tremendous résumé with the New England Patriots. After his promotion to offensive coordinator in 2005 his work has been instrumental for the team. In 2007, his offense set records after scoring 67 touchdowns on offense. Though he left the Patriots from 2009-2011, he has been present for all five of the team’s Super Bowl wins. Though he is satisfied with his current position on the Patriots, he still longs to be a head coach again. In come the Giants.

An Offer of a Lifetime

The Giants are much different from teams that haven given McDaniels offers in the past. They are at a very interesting point currently after clearing out Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese. This has been a fluke season for the Giants. Injuries to Odell Beckham Jr., upon many others, crippled the team. No one going into this season saw the Giants having a losing record with the intangibles that they have. Injuries and poor coaching from McAdoo destroyed all passion that players had this season. Eli Manning briefly sitting on the bench caused him to realize his mortality in the league. If he decides to leave New York this offseason this could be a very interesting change in the team. The Giants can bounce right back by taking one of the premier quarterbacks this class has to offer.

Josh McDaniels is perfect for this role. He has the potential to do amazing things for the Giants franchise. This is a perfect opportunity to get to head coach one of the marquee franchises in the league. That said, he also could have a head coach role in the future where he is right now.

An Heir to the Dynasty

Though it could be a few years the road from now, Josh McDaniels could potentially receive a promotion. McDaniels has a very good shot at being the successor to the head coaching job in New England once Bill Belichick calls it quits. In a recent take on McDaniels’s future from NESN’s Doug Kyed, he suggests that Josh and director of player personnel Nick Caserio could work together to fill the head coach vacancy. The Patriots are known to promote from within once a position becomes available, so it is very possible that he could take over after Belichick retires.

The current question about that, however, is if he would rather stay in New England or take a current vacancy in New York. The reason why Josh McDaniels has turned down job offers in the past two years may allude to him potentially wanting the head coach job in New England in the post-Belichick era. Only in his 40’s, he could possibly stay with the Patriots for a number of years until Belichick retires. Josh McDaniels’s history in New England could keep him with the team for the long-run, and Patriots fans would love to see him take the reins in years to come.

Quick Hits and Tidbits Around the NFL

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Here are some Week 13 quick hits and tidbits around the NFL:

Jimmy G Report

49ers’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was stellar at Chicago in his first start with his new team. In addition to passing the eye test, he made several accurate throws in leading San Francisco to their second win of the year. Make no mistake, he was not facing Richard Dent or Dick Butkus, but Garappolo was outstanding in marching his team down the field all afternoon. Obviously he will have to tighten some things up in the red zone. But that largely could be a product of a lack of weapons at his disposal. The Niners will make it a priority to surround Garoppolo and their excellent half backs with a stronger offensive line and a solid WR1. Those moves make the Niners a team that could compete for a playoff spot sooner than later.

Teammate Carlos Hyde acknowledged that Garappolo looked like he learned a lot from Tom Brady. If he did, he can look forward to a superb career. Brady backups don’t necessarily work out 100% of the time. Ryan Mallet comes to mind as an utter flop. But there is a lot of optimism in the Bay area. The 1986 Bills went 4-12 with Jim Kelly and the 1998 Indianapolis Colts went 3-13 with Peyton Manning. Yet their fan bases looked to the future (rightfully so), seeing that good things were ahead. Such can be the case this season with Garoppolo if he continues to look as good as he did this past Sunday.

Heart Meter – The Broncos

One cannot get over the difference between teams that play hard for their coach and teams that do not. Last Sunday the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets were at the total opposite end of the heart meter. The Broncos were listless, emotionless, and pathetic in a loss to the Miami Dolphins. On the other hand, the Jets played with great guts and gusto in a 38-31 victory over Kansas City.

Denver’s season got off to a strong enough start. In fact, when they crushed Dallas in September, Trevor Siemian was being appointed as a real deal starting QB in the NFL. But, he crashed to the earth and his demise was as swift as his ascension. He has arguably been the worst passer in the NFL over the past two months. Brock Osweiler has been almost as bad. And Paxton Lynch was injured.

Anyone who watches the Broncos knows the problems are not just at the quarterback position. It was just two years ago that this team with an armless Peyton Manning and the inconsistent Osweiler won the Super Bowl. The huge difference between this Broncos’ team and the great teams in years’ past is they lack passion and exuberance. A very unscrutinized move this past offseason by GM John Elway was letting TJ Ward walk. Ward is an excellent safety; a Rodney Harrison-type. His teammates loved him. And, they were not silent about his departure.

Hence, when things went south, the only thing that could get this defense the slightest fired up was Aqib Talib’s obsession with Oakland receiver Michael Crabtree’s neck wear.

It looks like Vance Joseph will last only one season. And it appears his players don’t care. Miami went up 33-9 and attempted an onside kick. Yet, not a single member of the Broncos seemed to worry about being disrespected. Nobody seemed aggravated with Adam Gase’s unsportsmanlike call. The Broncos are obviously just playing out the string.

Heart Meter – The Jets

With the Jets, their 5-7 record is far exceeding their preseason expectations. With a 38-year old journeyman quarterback and a group of no names playing along the offensive line, it is simply unbelievable what they have accomplished this season. When they fell behind a determined Chiefs’ team, it would have been easy for the Jets to reckon, “It’s not our day”. But, they fired back swiftly and defeated the befuddled Chiefs 38-31.

Getty Images

Todd Bowles, as a player, was cool and quiet. That style fits his young team. Bowles has done an excellent job with this team and unlike the Broncos and the Giants for that matter, his guys play hard for him and each other.

Antonio Brown is Amazing

Speaking of playing with heart and guts, is there anybody in the NFL better than Antonio Brown? This guy brings it each week. Indeed, at his pace, he will a first ballot Hall of Famer. One would be hard-pressed to find a wide receiver in NFL history that has dominated so many games over such a long period time as Brown has done since 2013.

Aaron Doster

Therefore, Brown truly deserves MVP consideration. Other than Adrian Peterson’s other-worldly 2012 season, the league MVP typically goes to the quarterback with the best stats or on the best team. This season is not different. The national media has fallen in love with Carson Wentz so he will be a favorite. Russell Wilson has been incredible this season and Tom Brady is Tom Brady so they will be in the conversation as well. But, it is foolhardy to think the NFL has a more valuable player than the Steelers’ wide out. Brown makes terrific catches. He is an elusive runner in the open field. He is as tough as nails and has as much fun on the field as can be allowed by the league office. Those are the necessary traits to deem someone as valuable.

Can Green Bay Really Make the Playoffs?

The Packers are actually in pretty good shape to make the playoffs if Aaron Rodgers plays as great as he usually does down the stretch this season. He will not be eligible to play at Cleveland. But, Green Bay should be able to win that ball game even with back up Brett Hundley.

Rodgers can play next week at Carolina, which conveniently is a team that the Pack will need to catch. After that, Green Bay will host the Vikings on a Sunday night with revenge on their minds. They then close at Detroit. They hold tiebreakers over Dallas and Seattle, but not with Atlanta if it comes down to those things. If they “run the table”, they will likely get in and if they get in, look out!

The NFC has been much more exciting, interesting and competitive this season than the AFC. Their champion will have truly deserved it. Consider this: The teams in the hunt like Carolina, Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas and Green Bay are vastly superior to the AFC teams in the hunt like Tennessee, Baltimore, Buffalo, Oakland, and Kansas City. What is the big deal? Pittsburgh and New England will truly have the easiest route to winning the Super Bowl this season. So, the more that things change, the more they stay the same.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

The Patriots Travel to Miami to Take on the Dolphins

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Monday Night Football

FOXBORO, MA – NOVEMBER 26: Dion Lewis #33 of the New England Patriots carries the ball during the first quarter of a game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

The Patriots travel to Miami to play the Dolphins on Monday night without Rob Gronkowski. He lost his appeal and will serve his one game suspension on Monday night. The Patriots however should beat the Dolphins without Gronk anyway. Far from elite quarterback Jay Cutler, who will be playing on Monday night, has never beaten the Patriots in his career. In the three times Cutler has played the Patriots his team was outscored by 34, 29, and 28 points. In two of the three times Cutler didn’t even finish the game.

Bill Belichick on Playing Without Gronk

ORCHARD PARK, NY – OCTOBER 30: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots runs with the ball during NFL game action as Robert Blanton #26 of the Buffalo Bills and Zach Brown #53 and Jonathan Meeks #36 and Stephon Gilmore #24 gang tackle him at New Era Field on October 30, 2016 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

With Gronk not playing Bill Belichick was asked if the offensive game plan will change during his weekly Wednesday press conference:

“Well, we’ll just do what we always do. Take the players that we have available and match them up against the great team that Miami has, their defense and how difficult they are to play against and block and move the ball. Try to come up with the best plan that we can to be competitive with them Monday night.”

Another good question from today was how Brady was playing at such a high level at the age of 40.

“Yeah, well, Tom works hard. I think Tom’s talked a lot about that and discussed his personal training methods and so forth. So, I mean, he’s probably a better person to comment on that than I am, but Tom works hard. He’s here every day and puts an awful lot into his preparation, both physically and mentally for the game. So, I think that has a lot to do with it.”

The Patriots Should Win Monday Night

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on from the sideline during the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

The Patriots should be clear winners on Monday night. They are 10 point favorites and were 12 before Gronk lost his appeal. The defense is playing better and should be all over Cutler, who doesn’t want to play for the Dolphins anyway. The Patriots should walk away with a 34-17 win. Then it’s on to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers a week from Sunday.

IT’S KYRIE’S WORLD, WE’RE JUST LIVING IN IT

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DANCING TO A DIFFERENT BEAT

“I see you. I see everyone. More than just your physical presence, I see your energy. I feel it. I know it.”

These were some of the words spoken by Kyrie, to the people at the Thanksgiving meal for the Boston Center for Youth & Families. I think it is safe to say Kyrie Irving has a different focus than most people. In interviews, there is a sense that he is on a completely different page than the reporters asking the questions. It makes for occasionally odd answers to simple questions. Most people write it off as weird, but he just might be on to something. After all, his focus has taken him to heights not many human beings can even fathom.

Still, Kyrie has been known to say some outlandish things. For instance, when he challenged the dimensions of the earth. Knowing Kyrie has never been afraid to challenge ideas and provoke thought, I wondered if there was an ulterior motive to his viewpoint.

“..literally the whole intent was just to open up for people to do their own research. That was the only intent. It wasn’t to, OK, let me figure out and go against science. Let me go against what I’ve been told and what’s right and all this stuff. It was just literally with the intent of just wake up and do your own research instead of actually assuming something that’s been told to you.” -Irving on Geno Auriemma’s podcast

After that conversation, I truly believe Kyrie just wanted to challenge something that was obviously against the grain. He wanted to stir things up, just to show people that it’s okay to question something. Further, his point is that it’s important to question everything by doing your own research. It’s actually a good lesson, albeit probably not the best way to get the message across. But that’s Kyrie, always wanting to be epic.

CLUTCH KYRIE

Speaking of epic, he’s done some amazing things on the court already in his young career. The dagger stepback 3 in game 7 of the 2016 Finals immediately comes to mind. This year for the Celtics, he’s become as good a closer as Isaiah Thomas was last season. That’s saying something considering IT earned the nickname, King In The Fourth, after averaging nearly 10 points in the 4th quarter alone. Kyrie is proving he can step up for the big moments at the end of the game, what he calls “winning time.”

And man, does he love to win. Kyrie’s clutch stats this season(+/- 5 in last 5 min) are elite. Despite falling outside the top 20 in total clutch time minutes, he is second only to old pal Lebron James, in both FGM & FGA in the clutch. He has shot just one less shot than Lebron, and has one less make, sitting at 26/43. That’s over 60% in clutch time minutes for Kyrie. Out of players with more than 15 attempts in clutch time, he is behind only Lebron & Dion Waiters by a hair. Also, the man with the highest FG% in clutch time (min 15 attempts) in teammate and ultra-impressive rookie, Jayson Tatum. Tatum is sitting at 63.2%. Jaylen Brown recently dubbed Kyrie, Mr. 4th Quarter, but Mr. Clutch might be more accurate.

KYRIE WINNING ON MVP LEVEL

I mentioned in a previous article that Kyrie is going to need to play at an MVP level for this team to do anything special this year; especially in the absence of Hayward. Not a month into the season, he was starting to get MVP chants in buildings across the league. In the Garden, they were still waiting for the right time. Kyrie has been great, but most Celtics fans would agree that Al Horford has been the real MVP of the Celtics this season.

Sensing the pressure to perform up to what mainstream media was ready to call him, an MVP candidate, Kyrie had his first takeover game against the Mavericks. He poured in 47 points in an OT game, in which every last one was needed. Since then, he has taken his game to another level, bringing up his shooting percentages, and improving his looks. Most importantly, he is taking over the game in the clutch, as discussed above. I hate to sound like a broken record, but what he is doing to close out games really can’t be overstated.

KYRIE BRINGS WHAT GAME NEEDS

My favorite quote about Kyrie was made by Brian Scalabrine. He said “Kyrie brings what the game needs.” This is true over the course of almost the entire game. If you ask me, it goes back to him saying he can feel energy. He just knows what he needs to infuse in the game, at any given time, to make his presence felt. It might be scoring 47 some nights, but it usually won’t be.

Most of the time, we see flashes throughout the game of his scoring. He times this perfectly, waiting to attack until the offense is sputtering a bit. Sensing this, he gets aggressive, and looks for his own shot to get the team back in the fight. He then falls back, tries to get his teammates involved, and waits for closing time to strike again.

We probably won’t see Kyrie completely dominate many games like he did against the Mavericks in the regular season. There will be times when he feels the need to be more aggressive, but he is showing he loves to play in the big moments, and almost waits for them to come around so he can take over. In the playoffs, every moment is big, so Kyrie will be playing up to match the moment.

NO PRESSURE

Brad Stevens stated in a recent interview that, “basketball isn’t real pressure” when compared to real life. It’s a game, and that’s how he approaches it. He wants to win, but it’s not life or death. Kyrie epitomizes this. He doesn’t feel pressure on the court. It’s all fun and games for him, and he wants to have more fun than everybody. That’s where his clutch gene comes from– a genuine, fearless excitement in his approach to win basketball games. After his 47 point outburst against the Mavericks, in which he made some big plays down the stretch, Kyrie was feeling himself.

“I don’t want to say the NBA is like playing in the park, but to me…”

His voice trails off as he shrugs his shoulders. When you watch him play, you know he’s telling the truth. The court is Kyrie’s world, and if you aren’t on his team, you’re just in the way. Never fear, he’ll evade the entire defense when necessary, as well as he evades a poorly worded question post game.

CALM & CONFIDENT

It really is amazing how calm and confident Kyrie is in the clutch. As a fan, I feel confident when he has the ball late, and the fate of the game is in his hands. It makes you wonder if we’ve been looking at Kyrie, the man, all wrong. Maybe he has it together more than any of us. He knows the naysayers will always be around, so he doesn’t care about the media. He knows at the end of the day they’ll have their own story, far removed from the picture he would paint, if only he had the brush. It makes sense.

What doesn’t make sense is a person who has a life full of problems being so confident and free in their craft, especially in crunch time. On the contrary; I would say Kyrie derives his in-game confidence from the real-life confidence he has in himself and his beliefs. He doesn’t care if you doubt him, or disagree with him. That’s the point. It’s okay to think differently, to be your own person. That’s the picture he’s been trying to paint, with every move in his life.

He’s even willing to throw himself into the spotlight and take criticism, whether it be for challenging science, or himself taking a step into the unknown in his career, and leave what most thought was a picture perfect situation; for most, sure, but not for Kyrie Irving. He paves his own path, and he’s going to keep pushing forward until he reaches the end of the earth. Or arrives right back where he started, depending on how you look at it.