Tag Archives: Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft Speak

Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft Both Speak Ahead of Owner’s Meetings

Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) points to teammates as head coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft look on after the 2017 AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY SportsBill Belichick and Robert Kraft have both spoken to the media regarding the Patriots. They talked about the changes and what’s going to happen going forward. Belichick convinced Josh McDaniels to stay after the Super Bowl loss to the Eagles. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Belichick said, “Once that game ended, I think that really gave Josh and I a chance to sit down [Tuesday] and talk more directly about the situation, as opposed to, ‘We really want to talk about the game and what we need to do to try to compete in that game.’ That’s basically what happened. Before the game, I’d say we had minimal discussions. I’d say we had much deeper and longer and more in-depth and more constructive discussions immediately after the game.”

Belichick wouldn’t talk about the Malcolm Butler benching in the Super Bowl, other than saying he wished him luck going to Tennessee. Belichick has talked to Tom Brady, but wouldn’t touch on Rob Gronkowski’s status about next season. Robert Kraft also spoke, saying, “The residual of this loss was hard on everyone. But I see that as a high-class problem. The fact that we lost and we lost the way we did, I still haven’t gotten over it.” Kraft also said he has had meetings with Belichick and Brady. He also said he has faith in his coach even though he may not have made the right decision in the Super Bowl.

Robert Kraft Has Faith in Bill Belichick

Via GoogleKraft doesn’t deny that there isn’t tension. It’s healthy tension according to him. Kraft mentioned there was more tension when he first bought the team in 1994. Everyone was walking on eggshells around the coach at the time Bill Parcells. Maybe things cleared up a little bit with Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick speaking. The media still haven’t heard from Brady, and probably won’t until June. The most we’ve heard from Brady is in his documentary, Tom VS. Time.

Tom Brady’s Successor 2018 Version

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Has there been any team with a more unprecedented run of success at the quarterback position? With the exception of a torn ACL that wiped out Tom Brady’s 2008 season, the fans have seen star level play from the signal callers for nearly two decades. Is there another NFL city that can boast that? And who will be the Brady successor that New England fans look to for the next decades of passing excellence?

Indy?

Indianapolis? Peyton Manning provided MVP level play from 1998-2010 he accrued numerous awards and accolades, went to the Super Bowl twice and came away victorious once. In the end he lost the entire 2012 season due to a neck injury hit the free agent market. Denver would benefit for a few more mostly up seasons before he retired in 2015. Still, just 12 seasons for the fans of Indiana.

Big Easy?

How about New Orleans? With a free agent signing in 2006 of the short, shoulder-injured passer out of the storied football school of Purdue, the Saints got the best value in the NFL. But again just 12 seasons, one Super Bowl appearance and win and prolific passing statistics do not make a legend.

The Winner is…

To put it into perspective the New England Patriots have seen seven Super Bowl appearances and five rings. This is such a run that has no equal in the history of the NFL. Sadly, like all good things, there is an end in sight. Despite all the pliability that a 40 year old can muster, Brady will reach a day that he chooses a less physical line of work. A 300 pound lineman laying on top of you can get a bit old quick. So we must look to finding a replacement for that day. Welcome to the 2018 version of this pursuit.

Draft History

Since the 2000 draft with the 199th pick the Patriots have selected eight quarterback prospects from the college ranks. Some like Matt Cassel and Ryan Mallet have last several years as the backup to TB12 before moving on to other opportunities in their careers. Some were seventh round picks or undrafted gems like Brian Hoyer. The top 100 picks in the NFL draft is the preferred hunting grounds for Bill Belichick’s QB search. Lately as the market has been shifting and unexpected events like the Deflategate suspension have happened they have been picking higher and more frequently than normal. This year will be no exception. This year we can safely say, that regardless of free agency the Patriots will select a quarterback in the draft.

What’s Coming

In the coming weeks we will profile likely Patriots QBs that could be selected in the 2018 draft in March. We will look at playing styles, testing results, background information and why we think they have traits that will make them a new Patriot. The writers at BostonSportsExtra.com look forward to the debates and speculations that these will likely entail. We eagerly await all of the new Patriots that will try to help the 2018 team get that sixth ring for Brady. And just maybe get to be the next guy for when Brady hangs them up and rides off into the sunset.

New England’s Defensive State Ahead of the 2018 Off-Season

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In team sports, you often hear, “You win as a team and you lose as a team”. Rarely will you find a coach or staff that believes otherwise. Bill Belichick and his staff do not sway away from this mentality.

With that being said, it may not always be true.

The New England defense allowed over 538 yards on the grandest stage of them all. Philadelphia was an astounding 10-16 on third down conversions, 2-2 on fourth down conversions, and didn’t allow a sack.

This is not to take away from a brilliant performance from the Super Bowl MVP, Nick Foles, but the Patriots defense was non-existent Sunday night.

Aside from Stephon Gilmore, who was virtually lock-down, the Patriots’ secondary got scorched. Jordan Richards looked lost on numerous occasions. One of those included a key third down where he let up a 55-yard play to put the Eagles in scoring position. Eric Rowe allowed over 80-yards in coverage as well as a touchdown while serving as New England’s second corner… We won’t get into that.

If you haven’t figured out how to say goodbye to Malcolm Butler yet, I suggest reading this article.

The defensive-front couldn’t sustain consistent pressure on Nick Foles. Foles wasn’t pressured on play action, three step drops, five step drops, and RPO’s. In other words: HE WAS NEVER PRESSURED.

A combined effort highlighted by LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi rushed for over 160-yards, a touchdown, and six first downs. Blount and Ajayi both gashed the Patriots with carries of over 25-yards.

The Patriots offense, however, was amazing.

Tom Brady, for the second straight Super Bowl, threw for over 500-yards. He tossed three touchdown passes and zero interceptions. All after one of his best targets, Brandin Cooks, left the game due to a head injury early on.

Not counting the 34-second drive to end the first half, Tom Brady led the Patriots on four straight drives of over seventy-five yards or more… each resulting in touchdowns. This strand ended with a beautiful strip-sack by Brandon Graham late in the fourth quarter.

CONCLUSION

After reviewing these points, while it may be a team effort, the defense lost New England the Super Bowl.

While there certainly are a few question marks on offense for New England, there is much more to be happy about. Among the uncertainties are Nate Solder, Danny Amendola, and Dion Lewis’ expiring contracts.

While Gronkowski has had his share of injuries, I am calling his bluff on potential retirement. Next season, health providing, the Patriots offense will have Cooks, Gronkowski, Edelman, and Hogan all at once. Also we can’t forget about the return of Malcolm Mitchell. I am not concerned about the offense.

The defense, however, will require much change.

Cornerback

During the Super Bowl, fans got to see a sneak peek of New England’s secondary without Malcolm Butler and no additions. Newsflash: IT WAS ATROCIOUS.

Outside of miscommunication against the Chiefs and Panthers, and poor performances against the Bills once, and the Steelers, Stephon Gilmore was great this season. It now seems clear to all why New England gave him ‘lock-down cornerback’ money.

PFF gave Stephon Gilmore an 89.1 grade for the season, ranking him the 8th best cornerback in the league.

According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, through the entire playoffs, Stephon Gilmore allowed 4-15 completed passes for 55-yards, with 6 pass breakups.

The New England Patriots have their clear-cut #1 cornerback for the future.

Devin McCourty is still playing great ball for New England, and position-mate Duron Harmon has been key as well.

For this last season, both Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon were ranked top-10 out of all free-safeties by Bleacher Report.

Patrick Chung, strong-safety, will also likely be keeping his starting job in New England next season. One could argue that Chung deserved Pro-Bowl honors this year. Chung’s ability to defend tight ends and play at the line of scrimmage makes him vital in New England.

CORNERBACK HELP FROM WITHIN

Cyrus Jones, former second round pick, looks to return from a torn ACL and compete for a job next season. Jones was far from a fan favorite a season ago after muffing multiple punts. The guy damn-near got booed out of Foxborough. Players like Edelman coming to his defense and touting his work ethic shouldn’t go unnoticed. How Bill views Cyrus’ potential could sway the Patriots’ search for a nickel cornerback.

While it may be hard to envision this right now, I would not be all that surprised to see Eric Rowe starting across from Gilmore next season. Most of Rowe’s 2017-2018 season was lost to injuries. Last season, as well as when he was healthy towards the end of this regular season, he looked like the guy to fill Butler’s shoes. There is no denying that Rowe started the Super Bowl on the wrong foot, but he is a good player. Whether he is #2 cornerback material is up to Bill.

The obvious need in this secondary is at the #2 cornerback position. Whether the improvements come from in-house, or not, remains to be seen.

While improvements at the cornerback position will be vital going forward, if the front seven continues to struggle at getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the talent level in the secondary won’t matter a bit.

Pass Rush

Looking back, the eight-sack performance against the Tennessee Titans seems to be nothing more than an anomaly. The Patriots’ group of pass-rushers are very young, headlined by the leader of the group, Trey Flowers, and his sidekick, Deatrich Wise. Both having played their college ball at Arkansas, seem to be the head of the pack going forward for New England.

Trey Flowers proved that it is possible to have a good season as a pass rusher with low sack numbers, totaling at 6.5. With that being said, he led the team in that category, which is not close to the number you want your leading sack artist to have.

Things didn’t go as planned with the edge rushers for New England this season. Rob Ninkovich retired shortly before the season started, leaving a hole in leadership and skill level.

Also last off-season, the Patriots acquired former Super Bowl hero, Kony Ealy, from the Panthers. Needless to say, his time in Foxborough was short-lived.

Going into this offseason, there are improvements to be made with the pass rush, some may argue that it is the biggest area of need for New England.

I would expect New England to use one of their three picks in the first two rounds of the draft on pass rush. Whether that be defensive-end, or a 3-4 pass rush linebacker. This unit as a whole has struggled enough to where I wouldn’t be surprised if New England spent a decent penny in free agency to sure it up.

PASS RUSH HELP FROM WITHIN

Also what should be noted is the Patriots’ first draft choice last year, Derek Rivers, missed all of this season with a torn ACL.

Derek Rivers, a pass rush specialist in college, stands at 6-foot-4, 245-pounds. In four college seasons, Rivers compiled a total of 37.5-sacks. Having been the team’s first selection in the draft, expect Rivers to be some much needed help from within.

An obvious addition to multiple phases of the front-seven, is the return of Donta Hightower. Donta is without a doubt one of the NFL’s best all-around linebackers. His ability to play in coverage, manage the defense, and rush the passer was surely missed this season.

The everlasting issue with Hightower is his inability to play a full season. The key with Hightower is to not rely on him so heavily early in the season to give him his rest. Honestly, just hope his injuries come early rather than late, and not season-ending. With hopeful thinking, having Donta Hightower back for the entirety of next season will greatly impact the pass rush.

Linebackers

Continuing on with Dont’a Hightower: His impact on the linebacker core is unmatched. Dont’a takes pressure off of his teammates and does a great job at preventing any confusion. Having Dont’a back would be huge, but relying on his return is not something I recommend.

The Patriots made a great addition when bringing in Marquise Flowers, and the trade for Kyle Van Noy has been a complete success. That said, even with the Pro-Bowl caliber Hightower back, the linebacker position lacks depth. Specifically, they lack athletes at the linebacker position.

Too often, Patrick Chung has to take on a larger role than you would like him to because he is constantly moving down into the box in aid of the unathletic linebackers.

I don’t mean to tug on strings here, but the Patriots are in desperate need of a ‘Jamie Collins’ like linebacker. Someone with the speed to pick up wide receivers over the middle and can keep up with running-backs. The undersized linebacker who moves like a safety is exactly what you should expect the Patriots to be looking for from their first pick, to their last.

INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE

Other than maybe the safety position, interior defensive line may be the most solid group on defense. Led by the young defensive tackle out of Texas, Malcom Brown, this group can usually hold its own against most lines.

Again, the return of a healthy Donta Hightower, even though he doesn’t play defensive line, will help this unit immensely. Donta’s ability to line up over the center and coordinate the young defensive linemen like Malcom Brown, Ricky Jean-Francois, and Adam Butler will help their growth. Another key kog in this unity is veteran, Lawrence Guy. Guy came in as a free agent from Baltimore and contributed a large amount over the second half of the season.

Once vital big-man, Alan Branch, was a healthy scratch for the entire playoffs thanks to the emergence of Jean-Francois and the steady play of Guy. I wouldn’t be all that surprised to see him become a cap-casualty.

The most action I expect from this group would be the Patriots picking up Malcom Brown’s fifth-year option. The young guys will continue to grow and improve here.

Whether it be at the #2 or #3 cornerback positions, pass rush, linebacker position… or all of the above: This defense needs to get better. A lot better.

Relax, Tom Brady Will Be Fine

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BRADY WILL BE READY TO GO SUNDAY

Tom Brady cut his hand from hitting the buckle on someone’s helmet. He has four stitches around the knuckle and should not affect him. That is according to Mike Felger, who had a source close to Brady’s injury. Brady also missed practice yesterday but was throwing the ball around today. Fans, even myself, thought the injury was fake, but the players wouldn’t put that much effort in making up a story. They are playing the Jaguars. Brady could play with one arm and still beat them.

THE PATRIOTS WILL BE FINE AND SO WILL BRADY

Let me show you how the Jaguars defense is a fraud. The Jaguars had ten-sack games against the Colts and the Texans. That’s twenty-eight sacks total in four games against those teams. That is half of the Jaguar’s season total according to Tony Massarotti. Tom Brady when asked if he was playing Sunday and with a smirk said “We’ll see” was the second most stupidest thing I heard all day.

He is obviously playing and wants people to think that he’s not. Now if Jimmy Garoppolo were here what would have his response been? He would’ve said that he was fine and that’s a fact and he’ll be ready to go Sunday. But because the backup is Hoyer he avoided the first response and said “we’ll see.” The first stupidest thing I heard all day was he is questionable to start Sunday. That is a clear note to the Jaguars that he’ll be off his game but really he won’t and will be fine on Sunday.

ROOT FOR THE PATRIOTS

If you’re a football fan you would want the Patriots to win on Sunday. Do you really want a Jaguars-Eagles or Vikings Super Bowl? It’s the biggest game of the year so be careful what you wish for. If the Patriots lose Sunday then it will be the lowest rated Super Bowl ever. Having said that the Patriots will beat the Jaguars and it really won’t be that close. Brady’s hurt yes, but he will be fine on Sunday afternoon.

Patriots Have The Number-One Seed — Again

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The Patriots Once Again Have The Number-One Seed

They did it again. Number-one seed. Yes, they are a good team, but let’s face it, the rest of the AFC is terrible. The Patriots will host the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night, in the Divisional Playoff game. The last time the Titans came to Foxboro, was 2015. The Patriots won 33-16, and Brady threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns in the win. They have been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons recently, which is what makes them play their best. The Patriots love to ignore the noise, and do their talking on the field.

The Titans Are Terrible (Tomato Can)?

The Titans aren’t very good, and yes, the Patriots did earn the number-one seed. The Patriots should easily walk away with this game on Saturday. The reason no one is talking about the game is because the Titans are awful. Instead of talking about actual football, people want to talk about a rift the Patriots say isn’t there, and it’s false. Belichick was only taking Titans questions at the press conference Tuesday saying, “This is a team that’s been in a lot of close games. They’re tough, they’re resilient, won on the road, won tough games the last two weeks that they needed to win to be here. I have a lot of respect for their program, the way they play, the way they coach, the way they compete and [they’re] a tough, hard-nosed team. We’ve dealt with some non-Tennessee subjects here over the last few days. At this point I’m all in on Tennessee. I’ll answer any questions about the Titans but that’s it.”

Patriots Should Walk Away With The Win

If the Patriots lose this game, then something needs to change. There is no excuse for them to lose to the Titans. The last time the Titans were here, Marcus Mariota got hurt during the game, and didn’t finish it. The Patriots do their best when people write or say something bad about them. They prove them wrong by winning all the time. Which is why it’s the Patriots, and everybody else.

Uncovering New England’s Offensive Weaknesses- Part 1

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Introduction

Every football team has at least one weakness. Honestly, it may be fair to say two weaknesses. Usually one on the offensive side of the ball, and one on defense. This article I will be dissecting any potential weaknesses on the offensive side of the ball.

Hopefully you can relate to this: when the Patriots have been eliminated from the playoffs, it damn near always catches me off guard. I can’t remember a playoff game that the Patriots have lost and I wholeheartedly expected them to lose. That just doesn’t happen. Us Patriots fans have built this expectation to win the Super Bowl every single season, and anything short of that is a failure. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have instilled this into us.

Year after year winning Super Bowls or being in contention has plateaued our standards at ‘Super Bowl or bust’. So, when the Patriots are in fact eliminated from contention, I am initially in a stage of anger and shock. Naturally, because of how great the Patriots always are, when they are eliminated, it seems like a blown opportunity. A few days after the loss, ‘hindsight 20-20’ becomes reality to me. I begin to understand why they lost, and that their weaknesses couldn’t be masked by Brady and Bill.

As a Patriots fan, even with the weaknesses that the team has, it becomes easy to overlook them or minimize them because “we have Brady and Belichick”. By the end of this article, I intend for you to fully understand the Patriots offensive weakness.

My Attempt at an Non-Bias Uncovering of the Patriots’ Offensive Weakness

Whether you want to use statistics or the eye test, the Patriots’ offense this season has been elite. Arguably they are the best in the NFL. They finished top-2 in total yards, points for, turnovers lost, and total first downs. This New England offense seems like one without a weakness.

One may in fact have a point in believing that, had the Patriots never traveled to Miami this season. In by far the worst offensive performance of the season, the Patriots were 0-11 on third down conversions. A usual staple of success for the Patriots became what derailed the team that week.

Brady Isn’t Connecting with His WRs

Taking a deeper look at what went wrong that game, it became clear that the Patriots could not throw the football down field. To be fair, they didn’t have Rob Gronkowski, who was serving a one-game suspension. Without Gronk up the middle demanding two sets of eyes, there was nothing the Patriots could do to free up their wide-receivers vs Miami’s press-man-coverage. Xavien Howard led the Miami CB group through to a no-hitter vs Tom Brady and company. Playing straight up man-coverage, with a plethora of different blitzing schemes, the Patriots were helpless.

Heading into the next week vs Pittsburgh for the biggest game of the season, New England clearly had to clean up its act. A team that usually plays zone-coverage, played tight man-coverage vs New England, following the blueprint that Miami put together the week before. The difference this time, was Rob Gronkowski, who ate up the Pittsburgh defense. While it was nice to see Gronk back, the Patriots still only completed nine passes to wide-receivers that game.

The next two games against the Bills and Jets, with the season all but locked up, the game plan seemed to revolve around running the rock. Opportunities to throw were still there, and so were the issues. Brady missed Cooks wide open deep down the field vs Buffalo that should have been a touchdown.

Cooks(36yd line) has the safety beat over the top.

An under-throw by Brady towards the middle of the field forced Cooks back inward, helping the safety catch up. Incomplete.

Against the Jets, Cooks stopped running too early, resulting in an incompletion that should have been a deep touchdown.

The Numbers

According to NFL Research, over the first 11 games this season, Tom Brady completed 42.3% of his passes of 20+ yards and had a TD/INT of 5/1. Over the last 5 games, Tom Brady has completed only 27.3% of his throws of 20+ yards and has a TD/INT of 0/3.

Through those first 11 games as well, Brandin Cooks averaged 79 yards per game. Over the last 5 games, however, Brandin Cooks has averaged 42.6 yards per game and has spit out his only two ‘under 20 yard’ games.

The Reason(?)

I want to tread lightly here, but maybe this bye-week is exactly what Tom Brady needs. I am not saying that Tom Brady is done, or seriously regressing, the G.O.A.T will probably win the MVP for crying out loud! What I am saying, however, is that Tom Brady only had to play a twelve game season last year. He had five weeks off. As fit as Tom Brady is, at age 40 the human body needs more time to recover. Tom Brady, to my estimations, has at least two years of great football left.

With that being said, he is going to have to rest more, and continue to nurture his body as he gets older, like anyone would. Tom Brady from weeks 12-16 threw at least one interception in each game. It was the first time he had thrown an INT in five straight weeks since 2002. This bye-week could indeed be what Brady’s body needs to help get him back on track.

It is also completely fair to credit this issue to injuries that transpired throughout the season. Losing Edelman in the preseason changed the entire dynamic of the offense. Before Hogan was knocked out with his shoulder injury, he was on pace for his best season. At the same time, Brandin Cooks was tearing up the field with his deep crossing and go routes. On top of that, Malcolm Mitchell, a Brady favorite, has been out for the entire season.

Hope

The good news is that both Hogan and Mitchell are likely to be back in the playoffs at some point. This would be crucial for the Patriots offense. To have weapons like Gronkowski and Lewis grouped with a dangerous wide-receiver group *that Brady trusts* could make this offense unstoppable. Right now, however, throwing outside is still a big weakness for this team.

Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady Meeting?

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The Meeting That Never Happened

There was supposed to be a meeting between Robert Kraft Brady and Belichick prior to the Dolphins game in Miami. According to Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal, the meeting was going to be about the rift between Alex Guerrero and Bill Belichick. However, the meeting never happened and it’s not certain when the next meeting will be. The rift hasn’t really been a distraction on the field but that Miami game was the worst performance of the season. Brady has thrown more interceptions than he did last season. For the first time since 2005 he threw an interception against the Steelers on Sunday.

Who Will Be The Next Quarterback?…..

Jan 16, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional round playoff game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

Another big topic is who will be the next Patriots quarterback after Tom Brady. Alex Guerrero is being called Yoko Guerrero by the Patriots staff. That is according to Greg Bedard, who is referencing Yoko Ono, John Lennon’s wife who was accused of breaking up the Beatles. Alex is being accused of causing tension between Brady and Belichick. Robert Kraft is in the middle of it all because he has a Hall of Fame coach which has brought him success and also a Hall of Fame quarterback. That is the best quarterback of all time and bigger than the team.

The Patriots Will Keep On Winning

Until the Patriots start losing a lot the Patriots will still be the best at handling this distraction. The meeting was going to happen before the Miami game. Will a meeting happen before the Buffalo game on Sunday? It is possible that it could happen between Robert Kraft Bill Belichick and Tom Brady on Sunday. Especially after the Boston Globe article and the story from the Boston Sports Journal. Belichick hasn’t really been planning for the future of the franchise. His plan of having Garoppolo being the next guy is out the window. So right now its about winning now because Brady isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

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

A Big Impact

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Which trade has made a bigger impact to the New England Patriots this season? The blockbuster trade that sent the scrappy, young Jacoby Brissett to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a speedster in Phillip Dorsett? Or giving the Detroit Lions a 2019 sixth round pick for special teamer and secondary depth player Johnson Bademosi? Midseason returns would indicate that the home run of those trades is for Bademosi. Injuries to Gilmore and Rowe were decimating the Patriots secondary and Bademosi stepped in admirably. He has defended against quarterbacks Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers and Josh McCown. Bademosi has solidified himself as a valued member of the rotation and a core special teams player. Poised to make a big impact for the rest of this season and beyond. But who is the man that now wears the silver helmet?

Is He the 1st Generation Son of Nigerian Immigrants?

His parents, Henry and Margaret have worked hard since coming to this country to provide the best possible opportunity for their children. A standout at the Gonzaga High School in Washington D.C., Bademosi continued his journey by becoming a rugby, track and field, and a football athlete for the private school. He made a impact on the field as well as off, becoming the recipient of the Maurice “Maus” Collins Award. This award is given for displaying excellence and leadership away from the playing field. Other people noticed his unique blend of hard work and dedication. Jim Harbaugh once made a call to offer the young star a scholarship at Stanford University. Bademosi cut the conversation short, saying that he had practice to attend.

Was He an Excellent College Cornerback, That Did Not Receive an Invite to the Combine and Went Undrafted?

It’s hard to understand the math that allows a first round pick to barely skate by, only to bounce out of the league within a couple of years. And a guy waiting seven rounds to hear his name called and goes on to carve out a role for himself on a team with a chance at Super Bowl glory. Harbaugh’s excellent Cardinal teams have prepared the DB and special teams player for the NFL but when the draft clock was counting the Bademosi name went unsaid.

Did he feel sorry for himself and wonder why he didn’t get picked? No. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Browns and led the team in special teams tackles for four years straight. Patriot friend, Bob Quinn, signed him as a free agent for Lions but found himself with a logjam at cornerback. When Belichick called looking for special team depth striking a deal was essential to starting the year off right. One could say that the Patriots again won the trade game.

Is He a Man That Is Active with Various Causes Within His Community?

Yes he is. From attending the Million Woman March with DeAndre Levy, to speaking out against immigration bans and police brutality, to providing opportunities for low income children to expand their world. His quiet and impactful measures have touched numerous lives.

I hope he can continue to provide impactful play on the field and off for the New England Patriots for many years to come.

The Patriots At The Half Way Point

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The Patriots Are 6-2 Going Into The Bye Week

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)

We have reached the halfway point in the NFL season. The Patriots are going in to the bye week at 6-2. Yesterday’s win was all about field goals for the Patriots. They couldn’t convert in the red area. Good thing the Chargers are stupid, if it had been a better team, they could have lost.

Bill Belichick was asked about the offense not scoring and the defense giving up big plays. He said, “Yeah, we’re obviously not doing a very good job in that area and that’s something we have to do better at. No question about it. We’re giving up too many big plays on defense and can’t convert on third down in the read area. Those are two huge issues. ”

The Patriots Have A Lot Of Road Games

Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots makes the Broncos defenders look silly. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The Patriots have five road games from now until Christmas Eve. Starting with Denver a week from Sunday, they then travel to Mexico to play the Raiders. In the AFC, there are only two other teams besides the Patriots who are 6-2. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who have issues with players not getting the ball enough and a quarterback who doesn’t know if he still has it. The Kansas City Chiefs, who will find a way to choke when it matters the most.

The Patriots Have Issues On Defense And Offense

FOXBORO, MA – SEPTEMBER 07: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots reacts on the sideline during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on September 7, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

As far as the injuries go, Hightower out for the season is a huge loss. Gilmore will hopefully be back for the game in Denver, but has been out for three straight weeks. Will the Patriots get another receiver like Calvin Johnson? This remains to be seen, but here is Brady on yesterday’s win and not executing on offense:

“Yep, that’s a good word for it. We didn’t finish them off. We just have to do a better job of that. I know I’ve said that about 100 times this year, but it’s tough and we’re trying. It’s just the execution is coming up a little short in critical times. I’m glad we won. That’s the most important thing. You know, starting 0-1 and then being 6-2 – you know, a lot of mental toughness. So, that’s good, and we’ve got to keep it going. You know, biggest games are ahead of us, so we’re going to have to go play well. ”

We’ll see what happens in the second half of the season . There is still a lot of work to do.