Tag Archives: Dion Lewis

Dion Lewis says Patriots are cheap

Dion Lewis had some comments about his former team

The Tennessee Titans beat the Patriots on Sunday 34-10. They were also meeting some familiar faces from Mike Vrabel to Dion Lewis on the Titans. Malcolm Butler and Eric Rowe didn’t say that it was a personal win for the Patriots. However, Dion Lewis made some honest remarks about the Patriots being cheap after the game. “Yeah, it was personal when you go cheap you get your ass kicked.” Seems like someone who only cares about themselves and not someone who is a team player.

Bill Belichick only cares about winning and doing what’s best for the team. Lewis was a great running back and won one Super Bowl with the Patriots. For him to publicly say that instead of going around it will come back to haunt him later. The Patriots don’t forget comments like that, and the next time they play you they’ll put up points. Secondly, Lewis wasn’t even great yesterday, he had a few nice runs but nothing outstanding. Marcus Mariota had a better game. Let’s see how many Super Bowls, Lewis win with the Titans.

If you want to make more money, play somewhere else

Dion’s comments have sparked the Patriot haters to have an ‘I told you so’ moment. The Patriots are known for not paying their players enough. Brady has taken the most pay cuts on the team but look how many championships he’s won. He’s sacrificed his pay because all he cares about is winning. Clearly not the same for Lewis who really hasn’t had a great season so far. He’s having an average season at best. That’s fine though. If you want to win, stay in New England. If you want more money and don’t care about winning, play somewhere else. Simple as that.

What to expect from Malcolm Butler and Dion Lewis

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Sunday the Patriots will be facing four former teammates when they kick off in Tennessee. Five counting head coach Mike Vrabel.

Along with former Patriots scout Jon Robinson, Tennessee certainly has some inside information. Although, a lot has changed in New England since then. Here are two players who were on the roster last year, that may or may not do some damage come Sunday.

Dion Lewis Is Still Dion Lewis

Dion Lewis will look to have a big game Sunday against his old team

Courtesy of the AP

Dion Lewis played 3 seasons for New England (2015 through 2017) and his best year was in 2017. As a Titan Lewis has shared the backfield with Derrick Henry, but as of late Henry’s touches have fallen. Dion showed Patriots fans last year that he can be a three down back despite his size.

This year as a Titan Dion Lewis has mainly been more of a receiving threat, and through eight games has already passed his 2017 season in New England.

Last year as a Patriots Lewis had 32 receptions on 33 targets with 214 yards. Through eight games with the Titans he has 33 receptions on 37 targets for 259 yards. Brian Flores and Bill Belichick are going to have to take Lewis out of Sunday’s game, as he is their best offensive weapon. New England needs to make tackles and try to limit Lewis’s receptions.

Dion Lewis predicts a Titans Win

Only a year has passed since Dion dawned the Patriots uniform, so it’s easy to remember that he can also be very dangerous running the ball. Through 8 weeks Lewis leads the NFL in percentage of runs with a broken tackle at 33.0%.

Dion Did You Have to Say That?

Lewis created some bulletin board material while talking about his old teammates. Saying “I don’t talk to nobody before the game,” “I don’t anticipate going out there pregame and hugging and all that.” “I’ll talk to them after the game, after we beat them.” I’m sure as usual the Patriots will use his words as motivation. Did Dion learn anything about teams verbally attacking the Patriots? Doesn’t look like it, and he will most likely be eating those words after the game.

Malcolm Butler Has Had This Game Circled For A Long Time

Butler gets burned by Amari Cooper

Malcolm Butler has had a horrible start to the 2018 season. Before I continue on I would like to say that Butler will always be a Patriots legend to me.

Butler left New England signing with the Titans for a whopping 5 year $61.25 Million contract, with $30 million guaranteed. Through 8 weeks Tennessee has drawn the short end of that deal as Butler is statistically the worst CB in the NFL. Here are some numbers that you know Bill must be smiling about, all of which are the worst in the NFL.

Through 8 games this season Butler has allowed 7 TD’s which is half of the entire team’s total. He’s also given up 618 yards on 39 receptions, both worst in the NFL.

Malcolm is playing for the number one defense in the league, yet he’s ranked as the worst CB. Against Dallas he gave up both TD’s in a win on Monday night. When asked about going up against NE he said “It’s just a game, I know I used to play for New England and all of that.” “I’m not over hyped, I’m not very pumped.” “It’s just another game” he says, but I have a sneaky feeling that Butler will be over hyped, and very pumped despite what he says before the game.

Courtesy of NBC Sports

He’s a very emotional player, Tom knows this as we all do. So expect whoever our old friend Butler is covering to have a huge game. Head Coach Mike Vrabel said that he’s not ready to replace Butler yet and will continue to start him.

One thing is for sure, Malcolm Butler wants to have the game of his life against Bill Belichick, and personally I don’t blame him. Unfortunately for Butler he will be too amped up, trying to make plays and that is a recipe for disaster against Brady.

(SB49 #21) “Malcolm Go!” Should never be forgotten.

Who Will Make the Cut at Running Back

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Which Running Backs Will Make The Team

It’s no secret the New England Patriots have lots of running backs at the moment. Injuries have plagued the position early on. Newly drafted Sony Michel has a knee injury. According to Jeff Howe of the Athletic Michel had his knee drained earlier this month due to a tear in his meniscus. Running back Rex Burkhead is also dealing with a slight tear in his knee but according to Howe it’s a minor injury and nothing serious. James White seems to be Tom Brady’s go-to guy as we saw on Thursday night against the Eagles. Fighting for a roster spot on the Patriots is running back Mike Gillislee who had 383 yards last season and 5 touchdowns.

Rex Burkhead was initially on the practice field Sunday afternoon but would go to the lower field with teammates on the physically unable to perform list. Rex Burkhead has not taken a preseason snap yet. Rookie running back Sony Michel was a no show in practice yesterday. Undrafted free agent Ralph Webb made a good impression in the first preseason game this season. Bill Belichick had this to say after the game against Washington:

“It’s what he was like at Vanderbilt: he ran hard, he’s tough. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s got good strength for his size and he runs hard. … He’s a tough kid, runs with good pad level. Webb’s got good speed, catches the ball well. Made a nice catch on the two-point play. It was a low ball, made a good adjustment on the catch and got it in.”

My Predictions

In my opinion, I think the following running backs make the team.

James White. He had 429 yards and three touchdowns last season. He also is Brady’s most trusted running back on the team.
Rex Burkhead. He had 264 yards and five touchdowns last season.
Ralph Webb. He’s had a decent preseason and Belichick seems to like him.
Sony Michel singed a rookie contract and has the potential to be the next Dion Lewis.

That leaves Mike Gillislee not making the roster for the upcoming season. Last season Gillislee finished the season with 104 carries for 334 yards. Gillislee appeared in just one of the team’s final eleven games last season. He would injure his knee in that game and miss the entirety of the postseason.

The second running back who will be cut is Jeremy Hill. Hill never found the end zone and only had 116 rushing yards last season. The Patriots will carry four running backs on the roster heading into the season.

New England Patriots Free Agency Wish List

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NFL free agency is set to begin on March 14^th, and the New England Patriots should be active in the market. Despite making it to the Super Bowl, this team has several roster spots that need replacing or upgrading entering 2018. Additionally, they also have several key free agents entering the market. Without further ado, here is the New England Patriot free agency wish list:

New England Patriot Free Agency Wish List

Re-sign Nate Solder

Bringing Nate Solder back should be the Patriots top priority

Image credit: Boston Herald

If the Patriots accomplish nothing else this offseason, they must accomplish this. Nate Solder is one of the top ten or fifteen best left tackles in the league, and his presence is crucial on this team. Quarterback Tom Brady isn’t getting any younger (probably), so keeping Brady upright should be the teams number one priority.

It won’t be cheap to acquire Solder, but the Patriots can’t afford to be stingy. Solder is easily the best left tackle on the market, and the NFL Draft is expected to be poor on starting-caliber tackles. This gives Solder all the leverage to break the bank, as teams won’t hesitate to pay for the most important position on the offensive line.

Not only is Solder one of the best left tackles around, but the drop off behind him in talent is staggering. Were Solder to leave, the next man up would be 2017 third round pick Tony Garcia. Garcia missed his entire rookie season with a blood clot issue, so it’s anyone guess how good he will be in 2018.

New England should also look into bringing back Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle. While neither is a starting caliber player, both are more than capable of filling in during an injury and playing adequate football. With right tackle Marcus Cannon’s injury history and the violent nature of the offensive line position, the swing tackle position is highly important.

Address the Running Back Position

The Patriots have quite a few players hitting free agency that New England would love to have back. Running backs Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead were both valuable contributors to the 2017 Patriots, and would certainly be welcome back on the team.

However, the Patriots shouldn’t overspend on either player. Lewis is reportedly fielding three-year, $18 million dollar offers. If that report is true, Lewis would rank among the top ten highest paid backs in football. Lewis is a phenomenal talent, but his injury history makes him not worth that type of money.

Burkhead’s market is more unclear. While he is reportedly receiving interest around the league, there’s no way he’s receiving a contract similar to Lewis. It’s more likely that his offers are more in line with his actual worth, since he’s not coming off the career year Lewis is. Of the two running backs, Burkhead is the one more likely to return.

New England would have no need to sign another running back should one of those two return to New England. However, should New England miss out on both, there are a few interesting options around the league. They probably wouldn’t spend top dollar to sign anyone like San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde, but there are a few good potential free agent bargains.

The biggest running back bargain could be Dallas Cowboys running back Alfred Morris. He probably wouldn’t cost much to acquire, and has a history of success. Prior to joining the Cowboys, Morris was the lead running back for the Washington Redskins. He broke the 1,000-yard mark in three of his four years there. He didn’t do it in Dallas, but that was because he was backing up one of the best running backs in football in Ezekiel Elliott.

Build Depth at Linebacker

Preston Brown could carry on the annual tradition of the Patriots taking the Bills best players

Image credit: The Buffalo News

As currently constructed, the Patriots are paper-thin at linebacker. They have a legit star in Dont’a Hightower, a good number two linebacker in Kyle Van Noy, and not much else. Linebacker was an issue all season for the Patriots, especially when Van Noy couldn’t play.

There’s two steps to fix this. First, the Patriots should re-sign Marquis Flowers. Flowers had something of a breakout season in his first year in New England. Injuries forced the career special teamer into the starting defense, and he ended up making a name for himself. He’s a great pass rusher and can hold his own in coverage, albeit that isn’t his strength. He doesn’t have the same ceiling, but he has a skill set very similar to that of Jamie Collins. He should only get better as he gets more reps, so bringing Flowers back should be of utmost importance.

Flowers alone won’t fix this. New England should also look into bringing over a run stopping linebacker, and the best fit would be Buffalo Bills free agent Preston Brown. Brown led the league in tackles during the 2017 season, and would be a perfect fit in New England.

Brown’s not great in open space, so he would fill in as the middle linebacker. This frees up Hightower and Van Noy to play on the edge, which suits their skills better. This defense would be hard to run against with Van Noy and Hightower handling edge duties and the reigning tackles leader in the middle of the defense. Add in Flowers as an off the bench pass rusher, and now the Patriots have four linebackers capable of making big plays.

Find a Second Cornerback

Let’s face it- Malcolm Butler is as good as gone. It was a great tenure that ended on an incredibly low note, but New England needs to move on. Looking around the free agent market, there’s quite a few players that could immediately help.

The Patriots already have one high-priced cornerback in Stephon Gilmore, but there’s talk they could go that route again. If they do, they should look at Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson. Johnson played the previous two seasons under the franchise tag, and is a match for what New England’s scheme.

Johnson is better playing press coverage, but is certainly capable of dropping into zone and performing well. In many ways, he’s a mirror of Gilmore, albeit not quite as good. Combining those two with Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, and Duron Harmon would give the Patriots one of the best secondaries in the league.

There’s also been talk that the Denver Broncos could release former Patriot Aqib Talib. While New England shouldn’t trade for him, they should definitely take a look if Denver does release him. Talib was the biggest factor in solidifying the defense in 2012 and 2013, and was an incredibly valuable member of the team. He’s not quite what he was, but he’s still one of the better corners around. He and Gilmore would arguably be the best cornerback tandem in football.

If New England wants a more cost-effective option, the best choice could be Kyle Fuller. Fuller will have a market, but not as big a one as the previous two. Fuller can play a variety of coverages and should fit in New England’s defense. He’s not a superstar like Talib or Johnson, but he doesn’t need to be. The rest of this secondary is so good that all New England needs is an average second corner to succeed.

Cover Image: Masslive.com

What to Do with the Patriots Free Agents

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This upcoming offseason promises a lot of change for the New England Patriots. Several key players are headed to hit free agency, and New England needs to make the right moves to stay competitive moving forward. Sixteen players from the 2017 team will enter the offseason unsigned. Here’s what to do with the Patriots free agents.

What to Do With the Patriots Free Agents

Nate Solder

New England should do everything they can to keep their left tackle around

Image credit: USA Today

He may not be an All-Pro, but Solder is one of the most important pieces to this offense. Solder joined the Patriots as a first round pick in 2011, and has called New England his home ever since. He spent his rookie year at right tackle before switching to left tackle after longtime lineman Matt Light retired. Since then, Solder has established himself as one of the top 10-15 left tackles in football.

There will be a market for Solder, but it would come as a surprise to see him leave. Quality starting tackles are incredibly hard to come by in the league, and head coach Bill Belichick knows that. Factor in quarterback Tom Brady’s age, and it’s now more important than ever to ensure Brady receives as little punishment as possible.

Additionally, Solder has always appeared to love New England. He passed up his previous chance at free agency to sign a two-year extension for below market value. Expect him to return once again, but this time he’ll receive a paycheck in line with his worth. A three-year deal worth roughly $11.5-12 million a year would likely keep Solder around.

Malcolm Butler

It would be great to get Butler back, but that isn’t going to happen. Butler has been a great cornerback in his four years with the Patriots, but will most definitely be playing somewhere else next season.

It will be fascinating to see what type of market emerges for Butler. The one-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler didn’t have his best season in 2017. Combine the down year with being benched in the Super Bowl, and teams will likely be afraid to invest heavily in the West Alabama product. Ironically, his value has probably dropped enough that the Patriots could afford him, if they wanted to.

Unfortunately, the Patriots won’t offer him anything, and Butler wouldn’t take the offer if they did. Super Bowl 52 was an unceremonious end for a Patriots legend, but it was definitely the end. Expect Butler to sign a one-year deal with any of the other 31 teams and to hit free agency again next year.

Dion Lewis

This type of hard-nosed running will earn Lewis a big payday

Image credit: USA Today

While Butler had a disappointing 2017, Lewis had a career year. After starting the season at the bottom of the depth chart, Lewis became the lead back after just five games. His 2016 season was average, but Lewis showed in 2017 that he was completely recovered from his 2015 ACL tear.

Lewis was genuinely one of the best all-around backs in football this last season, and he’s hitting free agency at the perfect time. Health has always been an issue for him, but he managed to play in all 19 games in 2017. After initially coming to the Patriots on a futures contract in late 2015, Lewis is finally set to get a big payday.

Unfortunately, that payday probably won’t be coming from New England. The Patriots have never been known to invest heavily in their running backs, and Lewis likely played his way out of New England’s price range. It’s easy to see a team like the Oakland Raiders banking on Lewis staying healthy and giving him a multi-year deal for roughly $6-7 million a year.

Rex Burkhead

Burkhead just finished his first year in New England after signing a one-year deal the previous offseason. He did that knowing that the Patriots offense was a perfect fit for his skill set. The plan was to spend one year with the Patriots, then enter free agency with a vastly improved market.

Unfortunately for Burkhead, Dion Lewis happened. Lewis stole Burkhead’s spotlight, and Burkhead enters the 2018 offseason without the market he anticipated. This actually works out well for the Patriots. Burkhead suffered some injuries, but played very well when he was on the field. He showed great ability in both the pass and run game, scoring a combined eight touchdowns in ten games.

With Lewis likely gone, the Patriots need running backs and Burkhead needs a home. Another one-year deal makes perfect sense for both sides. The Patriots get their guy for 2018, and Burkhead has another chance to cash in during free agency.

Matthew Slater

Slater will remain in New England until he hangs up his cleats for good. The longtime Patriot has found a home in New England as the heart and soul of the team. Injuries have limited him in recent years, but Slater remains the best all-around special teamer in the league.

Bill Belichick loves Slater, and there’s no doubt that his career will end in a Patriot jersey. Nobody values special teams as much as the Patriots, so Slater brings more value to the Patriots than he would to any other franchise. He’ll stick around.

Danny Amendola

Danny Amendola always comes up with the biggest plays in the biggest moments

Image credit: Boston Herald

Amendola won’t be playing for any team other than the Patriots in 2018. Amendola’s coming off yet another fantastic postseason run, hauling in 26 passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns. He doesn’t put up the same regular season numbers as someone like Julian Edelman, but he’s always there when the Patriots need a big play.

Amendola brings more value to the Patriots than he would any other franchise due to his phenomenal chemistry with Brady. However, the Patriots would still likely retain Amendola’s services if an unlikely bidding war broke out for him. Amendola calls New England his home, and has taken pay cuts the past three seasons in order to stay with the team.

The only plausible way Amendola would have left is if Josh McDaniels had departed for the Indianapolis Colts. However, since the longtime offensive coordinator stayed in New England, Amendola is sure to stay as well. Age and injuries are a factor with Amendola, but expect the Patriots to make a two-year offer to the longtime Patriot.

Marquis Flowers

The Patriots should resign Flowers yesterday. Flowers came over from the Cincinnati Bengals for a seventh round pick. Initially acquired as a special teamer, Flowers didn’t make a defensive impact until injuries struck late in the season. Once he was on the field, he showed why he shouldn’t be taken off.

Flowers put all his raw athleticism together to become one of the Patriots best defenders down the stretch. After not recording a single sack through his first two and a half seasons, Flowers recorded 3.5 in the final two weeks of the regular season. He showed great promise as a pass rusher and played above expectations across the board. His ceiling isn’t as high as former Patriot Jamie Collins, but he has a similar skill set.

Flowers saw playing time throughout the playoffs, and the team would love to have him back. Judging from Flowers’ twitter feed, he likes it in New England too. He’s credited the New England coaching staff for slowing down the game and helping him transform into more than just a special teamer. Look for the Patriots to resign him to a two or three year deal. Watching him bolt for Matt Patricia’s Lions wouldn’t be a surprise either.

Cameron Fleming/LaAdrian Waddle

This is kind of cheating, but these two can be lumped together since their situations are so similar. Both players have gone back and forth as the top backup at tackle. Due to injuries to the starting tackles, both have seen extensive time on the field filling in at both tackle positions. And now, both tackles are hitting free agency at the same time.

While you’d never want either to be your starter for a 16-game season, both have shown that they’re capable of playing adequate football when needed. As mentioned earlier, this free agency class has no depth at tackle beyond Solder. When factoring in a poor draft class at tackle, these two could be in line to get overpaid.

What the Patriots do with these two depends on how the Patriots value the talent they already have. Tackle Andrew Jelks missed all of last season, but should be making his return next season. Undrafted rookie Cole Croston was the primary backup along the entire line in 2017. When Marcus Cannon and one of Fleming/Waddle were injured, he would have been the next guy off the bench.

Frankly, none of the depth options are too reliable. New England probably won’t be able to retain both players, but they should try to bring back one. Fleming’s market is probably lower than Waddle’s, so the Patriots will most likely try to bring Fleming back on a short deal for high backup money.

Ricky Jean Francois

Jean Francois has definitely earned a ticket back to training camp, if nothing else. Jean Francois was picked up off waivers prior to New England’s matchup against the Denver Broncos. He was cut two weeks later, but came back for New England’s Week 14 game against Miami.

He didn’t set the world on fire, but he performed above what’s expected from the waiver wire. Jean Francois became the void filling run stuffer that Alan Branch failed to be. His market is basically non-existent, as a veterans minimum contract would probably be enough to sign him. If any other team were interested in the longtime veteran, they would have claimed him either time he went on waivers.

James Harrison

Another midseason acquisition, Harrison made even more of an impact than Jean Francois and was a big part of fixing the defense enough to go to the Super Bowl. The Patriots edge defenders struggled setting the edge against run plays all season until Harrison showed up.

He’s not the same player that won Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, but he showed there’s still something left in his tank. Harrison was more than capable of setting the edge against the run, and was a big reason for the run defenses improvement in the road up to the Super Bowl. He still showed the ability to get to the quarterback, and was one of the Patriots best defensive players in the Super Bowl. Admittedly, that’s not saying much, but it’s still true.

The biggest knack against Harrison is his age. He’ll be 40 at the start of next year, and the Patriots defense needs to get younger, not older. If the Patriots do bring Harrison back, it would be at the veteran’s minimum. Regardless of what they do with him, look for the Patriots to acquire some more help on the edge.

Special Teamers

Several members of the special teams unit are set to hit free agency. Nate Ebner, Johnson Bademosi, Brandon Bolden, Brandon King, and Bernard Reedy are all scheduled to test the open market this offseason.

The biggest priorities for New England will probably be Ebner and Bolden. Both are the longest tenured members of the Patriots special teams, and both play the biggest roles. Ebner is coming off a season-ending injury, but he’s expected to be fully recovered for the 2018 season. Nate Ebner’s importance to the special teams is second only to Slater, and Belichick won’t let him get out of Foxboro.

Bolden, while not on Ebner or Slater’s level, is still a big member of the special teams unit. While his best role is on special teams, he’s also a competent backup for the running backs. A jack of all trades and master of none, Bolden has filled in as the early down back, goal line back, and third down back during his tenure in New England. He’s one of the more underappreciated Patriots, and Belichick will surely sign him back.

Bademosi and King will both likely be back due to lack of market interest. Both have performed well on special teams, but not so well as to draw attention from other teams. While King is a linebacker in name only, Bademosi actually does offer some upside as a cornerback. He just shouldn’t be playing ahead of Malcolm Butler. As for Reedy, he’ll probably earn a training camp invite, but it would be astonishing to see him make the final roster.

Cover image courtesy of USA Today.

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.

Dion Lewis’ Search for Good Health and an Opportunity

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College Stardom

Dion Lewis’ freshman season of 2009 at Pitt put him on the map. A 5’8″-195-lb running back ran all over the Big East. He broke multiple Big East and Pitt rushing records previously held by both Tony Dorsett and LeSean McCoy. Big East MVP, Big East Offensive Player of the Year, Second Team AP All-American, Doak Walker semifinalist and Maxwell Award semifinalist. Dion Lewis’ talent has never been questioned.

To put Lewis’ freshman season into perspective, compare his statistics to those of Kareem Hunt’s best college season.

Dion Lewis:

2009 Pitt (FR) – 1988 total yards / 5.7 yards per touch / 18 total touchdowns

Kareem Hunt:

2016 Toledo (SR) – 1878 total yards / 6.2 yards per touch / 11 total touchdowns

Dion Lewis’ talent was undeniable. To put up better numbers as a freshman than NFL star Kareem Hunt did as a senior, presents pure evidence that from the beginning the talent has been there.

Drafted and Blocked

Due to concerns about Lewis’ lack of ‘NFL Size’, he fell to the fifth round where he was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles.

In Philadelphia, Dion Lewis was never given the opportunity to get on the field. He was being blocked, rightfully so, by LeSean McCoy: One of the best running backs in the NFL. Dion Lewis was still in search of the team where he could show the skills that helped him shatter numerous records back at Pitt.

Traded to Cleveland

In April of 2013, the Eagles traded Lewis to the Browns. At the time of the trade, Cleveland possessed a budding star at the running back position: Trent Richardson. Cleveland used a first round pick on Richardson, and in the 2012 season, they worked their 22-year-old running back to death. Many saw the addition of Lewis as a way to lighten Richardson’s load in the passing game. In 2012, Richardson caught more than 50 balls and was targeted 71 times. If Lewis was indeed going to help in the passing game, he certainly had a large opportunity to do so.

Any potential plan for Dion Lewis in the Cleveland offense never got to play itself out. In the preseason of 2013, Dion Lewis broke his fibula and suffered ligament damage.

Cleveland Browns running back Dion Lewis is taken to the locker room after an injury in the third quarter of a preseason NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

There was potential for Dion to make a name in Cleveland. All hope came crashing down with the break of his fibula. The next season, Trent Richardson was traded away from Cleveland, leaving a larger-than-life hole that could have easily fit a 5’8″ 195 lb frame in it. The seriousness of Dion’s fibula break, however, ensured that he would never play a down of his contract for the Cleveland Browns. An enormous opportunity for Dion Lewis to showcase himself, stolen by injury.

New Team… No Opportunity

In September of 2014, the Indianapolis Colts took more than a flyer on the still-young running back. They signed him to a two-year contract. Dion’s time with the Colts lasted no longer than a week. The Colts decided to add defensive depth. When doing so, Dion was the counter-cut.

Future Contract

During the 2014 season, three months after being cut by the Colts, Bill Belichick came calling. Dion Lewis signed with the New England Patriots on a future deal for the 2015 season. Dion Lewis sat out the entire 2014 season, waiting for his opportunity in the 2015 camp.

Looking back, it seems Bill Belichick had a plan all along. Two running backs on the Patriots in 2014 were set to become free-agents after the season. The Patriots saw signing Dion Lewis to a future contract as an opportunity to add depth before they inevitably lost both of those backs, Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen to free-agency.

2015 New England Patriots Camp

A battle brewed in camp. Matter of fact, it was the talk of the camp. Who would play the passing back role for the New England Patriots? Long-time Patriot, Brandon Bolden? James White, who the Patriots spent a draft pick on? Other signee, Travaris Cadet? Journeyman Dion Lewis?

By the end of the preseason, it was clear to everyone that covered that team. Dion Lewis had won the ‘scat back’ role in New England. In case you aren’t familiar with how things work in New England, Bill Belichick isn’t one to announce who wins battles. Nothing was different in this instance. It was noticeable how much better and more prepared Dion Lewis was than the others in line. Come opening night, it proved true. Dion Lewis won the job.

The Opportunity

Dion Lewis started as the primary running back on opening night vs the Steelers. He has LeGarrette Blount’s mishaps to thank for that. Blount was supposed to start Week 1 as the lead back. Sadly for him, he was suspended one game for an incident that happened the year before. Dion Lewis winning the ‘scat back’ role, and Blount’s suspension combined for the only true opportunity Dion had in the NFL up to this point.

Dion Lewis burst onto the map on September 10th, 2015 vs the Steelers. He finished with 19 total touches for 120 yards from scrimmage. Dion Lewis finally got the opportunity to show what made him a human video-game at Pitt, and boy did he ever. The lateral quickness was still there, and he could make cuts just the same as before snapping his fibula. “Lewis” jerseys instantly went into production, fantasy football players were hyperventilating as they scrambled their way through waivers to see if he was available. ‘Pitt Dion Lewis’ had landed in New England.

Dion’s Dream Season

Through just over six regular season games, Dion Lewis had piled up 622 yards from scrimmage, four total touchdowns and 36 catches.

He became a household name in New England. Dion Lewis tore up the NFL in his first ever opportunity to shine. Big play after big play, jump cut after jump cut, juke after juke, and spin after spin. Dion Lewis arguably became the ‘X-Factor’ of the Patriots offense through six games.

Defenses had no answer for him. A player his size usually excels outside of the numbers. Dion did exactly that. What made Dion so special and different was his ability to create space as a runner inside of the tackles. Dion continued to surprise everyone around him, especially opposing defensive coordinators.

Nightmare Ending

As the Patriots approached the halfway point in the season, Dion Lewis entered the seventh game of his ‘rebirth’. The Washington Redskins were next up. Throughout the game, like every other team, Washington had no answer for Dion Lewis.

In the third quarter, Dion Lewis snagged a screen pass and shifted his way up the field. In an instant, a non-contact injury to his knee sent him leaping to the turf in order to avoid putting weight back on his leg.

Dion knew, Patriot fans knew, and as the broadcast showed, Matt Patricia knew. Dion Lewis’ dream season was over. The image of tears streaming down Dion’s face while getting an emotional pep-talk from coach Patricia… That will never leave the minds of Patriots fans. Dion had worked so hard for his opportunity. Multiple teams, fought through a gruesome injury, all to lose it again. Dion had gone through so much, and was forced to go through it all once more.

Dion Lewis watched the rest of the season from the sidelines with a torn ACL.

The Comeback?

Dion Lewis spent the entire rest of the season and offseason in rehab, trying to get back on the field. Many at first believed that Lewis would make it back for Week 1 of the 2016 season. Sadly for Dion, he was forced to start the season on the PUP list, preventing him from seeing the field for the first six weeks.

While Week 7 was the likely scenario anyways, it was a setback during rehab that truly pushed the timetable back. Dion, eligible to play in the seventh game, didn’t see the field until Week 10, more than halfway through the NFL season.

The Comeback.

While Dion Lewis was healthy enough, and did play in Week 10 for New England, being “healthy enough” falls short of the player that Dion was before injury. Regaining the quickness in and out of cuts that Dion possessed before his injury didn’t come back when he did. Not until Week 14 vs the 49ers did Lewis start showing signs of his old self. In that game he totaled 104 yards.

The first time that season that Dion Lewis truly was ‘Pitt Dion Lewis’ occurred in the Patriots first playoff match up vs the Texans. Dion Lewis scored three touchdowns. One receiving, one rushing, and one on a kick return. Dion Lewis looked electric again.

The Opportunity of Every Kids Dreams

Along came the Super Bowl: Patriots vs Falcons. The comeback of the century that taught everyone how to bet on sports from Boston.

While Dion got to play all of regulation, he injured his hamstring on the final play of the fourth quarter. The injury wasn’t serious, but enough to sideline him for the entire first overtime quarter in Super Bowl history.

At the end of the day, the Patriots and Dion Lewis became Super Bowl champions. Not until long after the Super Bowl, during an NFL Network documentary where Bill Belichick revealed that the ‘Super Bowl clinching play’, a power toss, was designed specifically for Dion Lewis. Belichick said that only Dion had ever run that play before. With that said, the injury sidelined Lewis for the entirety of overtime. James White had to run that play, scoring the game-winning touchdown in overtime of the Super Bowl. That play was supposed to be Dion’s.

The end result was still just as glorious for Dion, with or without him being the one diving across the goal-line. Still, any player would be lying to say that they wouldn’t want that opportunity, another opportunity that was stripped away from Dion by injury.

On to 2017

Dion Lewis is healthy now, and it is very easy to tell. He makes jump cuts reminiscent of 2015. He’s running with the electricity of his Pitt days. Breaking long run after long run, Dion Lewis has worked his way back into the hearts of the Patriot faithful. The opportunities remain. If he stays in the injury-free zone, the sky’s the limit for Dion Lewis.