In case you haven’t been paying attention, the Revs are the hottest team in MLS, currently on an 11 game unbeaten streak. This Saturday they face the biggest challenge they’ve had in years. They will go up against league leading LAFC at home. The Revs currently sit in a playoff position in seventh place, but a win with some help could boost them up to fourth, third, or even second place in the East. As mentioned, LAFC are the best team in MLS, but the Revs are the hottest team. Since the hiring of Bruce arena, the Revs haven’t lost a single game. Saturday’s game will be the first big challenge of Arenas tenure. It’s also the biggest game of the year, and here’s why.
Make a statement
People have been talking throughout this streak that the Revs have a chance to make a push for the playoffs. But the fact of the matter is, with the exception of Gustavo Bou, this is the same team that went 2-8-2 to start the season. A win against a powerhouse like LAFC will prove to people that this team has what it takes to be contenders in the MLS Cup playoffs. The strongest team the Revs have faced on this streak is DC United, who they didn’t even beat. Although Bruce Arena has won four games on the road, something no other head coach had done since 2014, he still has more to prove.
A Familiar face
Jul 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen (24) celebrates his goal against the Los Angeles Galaxy during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
On Saturday, the Revs will also be visited by a friendly face in Lee Nguyen. Lee, on paper, will always be regarded as a Revs legend. However, the way he exited the team has left a taint on his reputation. Half of fans will tell you he’s one of the best, some fans will tell you they hate him. One thing’s for sure: When the whistle blows on Saturday it will be all business. If you’re wondering if he’ll get cheered or booed on Saturday, think back to Wes Welcker’s return. It will be a healthy mix of both.
What This Game Means
If the Revs lose, the longest unbeaten streak they’ve had since 2005 will come to an end. But if they win, they will cement themselves as a real Cup contender. A loss could see the Revs fall out of a playoff position if Toronto is able to beat the Redbulls. However, a win could mathematically put the Revs into second place in the East. What would it take for this to happen? Montreal would have to lose to Colorado. Atlanta would have to lose to the LA Galaxy, and NYCFC lose to Real Salt Lake. Then DC United would have to lose to Philadelphia.
On top of all of this, the Revs would have to erase a 14 goal differential to take second place. And to take third, a 10 goal differential. A win, combined with loses from both New York teams and Montreal, would put the Revs in fourth. This will be the most important game of the Revs season up until this point, so get yourself out to Gillette Stadium at 7:30 on Saturday to witness it in person.
Monday Rodney Harrison will be inducted into the Patriots HOF. But right now it seems like the color of the jacket is the main topic.
Recently Ty Law, who is about to go into the Pro Football HOF, talked about Patriot players from the early 2000’s being overlooked. He may be right. But when you take a hard look there may not be many to follow him.
Here’s Ty Laws take on The HOF
Ty Law was a great player and is well deserving of the gold jacket, and he thinks there is a reason for the lack of Patriot players: The media. Ty said “It’s like we are looked at as a team, that’s it…Like there’s no players worthy of the HOF, at least from the media perspective, when it comes to the Patriots. It’s Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and everybody else, you know what I mean?”
Law isn’t completely wrong about this. Nationally, when it comes to the Patriots dominance, it comes down to the HC and QB. The Patriots machine has kept rolling for two decades, and the two constants have been Tom and Bill. That doesn’t mean Law thinks any less of his old teammate and coach. He blames the media. “You pretty much know, Tom Brady is the Greatest of all time,” Law said. “There’s no doubt about that. There’s no question about Coach Belichick. When you hear about our team, it was like to me, we have a hell of a lot of players out there who can play. You can’t do it with just two guys.”
Rodney agrees with Law
Harrison expanded on Law’s thoughts about the Patriot prejudice in the media. He talked about Patriots fatigue, and anti Patriots bias in the HOF.
“People don’t think we have ballers.” Rodney says “Ty Law was the greatest defensive back I’ve ever played with. He’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. Richard Seymour, Willie McGinest, Troy Brown, Kevin Faulk, these were bad, bad dudes. They weren’t just system guys.”
He added to Law’s thoughts on Bill and Tom, and how the media gives them all of the credit. “People don’t want to elevate us, or recognize, or acknowledge how great we are, because they’re such haters. Everywhere I go, people hate on the Patriots. So we don’t get credit. All I hear is Tom and Bill. But that’s such a lazy analysis. They don’t see what a team really is, and that’s really frustrating because a lot of guys get cheated and don’t really get the recognition they deserve.”
Tomorrow I’m hoping to get more from Rodney as he receives his red jacket
Harrison came to New England as Bill Belichick sent Lawyer Milloy to the Bills. The team didn’t like the move one bit. But once they saw Rodney’s work ethic and leadership he was quickly embraced as a captain. Tomorrow afternoon Harrison will be inducted to the Patriots HOF, and he seems to be happier than anyone before him going in. We will have you covered with the ceremony and behind the scenes interviews you can only find here. I will do my best to see who Rodney thinks is next in line for a Gold jacket.
Monday in Gillette stadium at 4:30, it’s free to the public. Rodney Harrison will be recognized and celebrated for his amazing career as a Patriot. So come on out, or you can wait to see everything in tomorrow’s article. You’ll only get to see the behind the scenes action right here, so make sure to check it out. Let’s Go Patriots!
The best way to succeed in life is through hard work and determination. The Brady difference as I like to call it, is what sets him apart from any other QB in the NFL. Brady’s quickly approaching his 42nd birthday in August, but if you didn’t know this you’d think he was in his 30’s.
The soon to be 42 year old will do anything it takes to improve his game. He’s looking faster and stronger in 2019 which shows his dedication and commitment. His critics will say he doesn’t have a strong arm, one even going as far to call it a wet noodle. Hi Max! Brady took to his Instagram account to fire back at the known troll.
Tom Brady hitting 61 mph on the radar gun would be the second fastest since the NFL started recording it at the Scouting Combine in 2008 (first place: Josh Allen at 62 mph in 2018). Brady still has a rifle when he needs it. pic.twitter.com/gzN8oasSRR
The Caption Brady had on his post read, “He’s gonna fall off a Cliff” along with ? ? emojis.
It’s safe to say he’s still using everything negative he’s ever heard as fuel to his fire. The Brady difference at its finest.
Tom Brady’s Leadership is Incredible like usual
After winning a Super Bowl as a 41 year old, Tom is showing everyone what a true leader looks like. Josh Gordon is trying to get back on the field in time for training camp. Brady wanted to make sure he knew the team still has his back and got him to come out and throw the ball around.
“Brady to Gordon” Hoping to hear that all season Brady isn’t just having Gordon catching footballs. The two have been going out to dinner and spending time together like true friends.
Gordon isn’t the only player Brady’s been working out with, his pal Edelman has been catching passes with other teammates. Baron Davis was spotted with Brady too, and he’s got great hands according to Tom.
Tom’s not just doing all of these things for fun either. He wouldn’t admit it but he wants the Patriots to break the tie with Pittsburgh for SB wins. Great leaders don’t care about personal achievements. For Brady it doesn’t matter what his stats are as long as the Patriots get the win.
Brady doesn’t pad his stats and will gladly hand the ball off at the 5 yard line. After Brady’s incredible throw to Gronk in the Super Bowl to get to the 5 yard line he did the smart thing and handed it off. Most QBs would want that TD pass, that’s the difference. “The Brady Difference.”
As we close in on the summer transfer window opening, something has emerged in Revs land that doesn’t emerge too often. Transfer rumors. Not just one, not two, but three rumors in one day. Newly appointed Sporting Director and head coach Bruce Arena has said the team will only sign one or two players this window, but he is looking to be active come this off season. One of the targets that has reportedly already signed a four year DP contract, is 29 year old Gustavo Bou. Bou, currently plays for Mexican side Club Tijuana, where he has scored 12 goals and 10 assists in 27 appearances this season.
There’s been a debate about who should be the Revs primary striker up top for months now. The debate manly consists of Teal Bunbury, who has five goals in 21 games including open cup play, versus Juan Fernando Caicedo, who has four goals in 15 games for the season. The Revs have lacked a pure goal scorer up top for years now. Gustavo Bou, could be the answer to our problems. While Bou is no Lionel Messi, he would definitely make our attack a lot more dangerous if he does join the Revs when the window opens on July 9th .
Locking down the back line
Another target is former FC Barcelona center back Thomas Vermaelen. Vermaelen, has been out of contract since July 1st when Barcelona did not extend his contract. The 33 year old has been with such clubs as AS Roma, Arsenal, and Ajax, and has played along with players like Lionel Messi as well. Adding a guy like Vermaelen would only bolster the Revs back line more. There’s only one problem: His history with injuries. Since April of 2016 until now, Thomas has had 15 injuries that caused him to miss at least one game. At his age, coming to play for New England, on turf, my not be a good combination.
Help on the flanks
The final transfer rumor that has come out is US International, and former Bruce Arena call up, Fabian Johnson. The left back, currently plays in Germany for BMG, but has recently been linked to a move to MLS. The 31 year old, could make a move to the New England Revolution or FC Cincinnati this summer.
The Revs have been looking for a quality left back for years now, and the departure of Chris Tierney has made their search even harder. Some thought the search was over when the Revs acquired Edgar Castillo this off season. But Castillo quickly fell off the deep end with Revs supporters. Most prefer Michigan State rookie DeJuan Jones to play the position, even though he is a natural right Winger. Jones has stepped up and played any position New England have needed to play him at this year, but he is far from a natural left back. Fabian would be able to come in and really make a change on the left side defensive, and offensive wise. If the Revs are able to acquire two of these three players, they might be able to make a run at the playoffs.
This is one of the most ignorant theories used to discredit Brady’s greatness. Another lazy and tired take. Here’s my rebuttal to the haters who claim Brady’s only good against bad teams.
“Well Brady’s Success is due to the AFC East”
The AFC “Least”- Not quite true
The AFC East is thought to be the worst and most dysfunctional division in the NFL. Believed by many as the reason Brady and the Patriots are any good. My question is, are these teams really that awful and dysfunctional, or do the Patriots make them look that way? Using stats it shows that if you remove each division winner from each division, the AFC “Least” has the highest win percentage in the NFL (.457). Looks like that theory holds no weight.
“But Brady wouldn’t thrive in ANY other division!”
Once again the Tom Brady difference shows otherwise. Brady’s win % in every division proves the haters wrong. Let’s take a look.
Here’s the AFC win percentages. AFCE: 79% AFCN: 81% AFCS: 79% and 65% in the AFCW.
Here’s the NFC win percentages. NFCE: 81% NFCN: 85% NFCS: 75% and the NFCW: 67%
So Brady Vs NFC teams is 76% and 77% against the AFC. Another theory debunked, Tom Brady would be a dominant QB anywhere he played. Case closed.
“Yeah But he Needs to Deflate Footballs to win!”
The proof that Deflategate never happened will be In part 3 of this ‘Brady Difference’ Article. Science, math and evidence will be used, along with studies from the top scientists in the country. They’ve debunked the witch hunt called “Deflategate”
That being said, let’s see what’s happened since the second half of the famous AFC championship game. The footballs were inflated to regulation regarding PSI, and Tom Brady went off on the Colts in route to SB49 against the Seahawks. Two weeks of insanity ensued and the NFL had the game balls under lock and key.
Since The Second half Tom Brady has played the best football of his career, weird huh? With regulation footballs all Brady has done is Win three Super Bowls, two SB MVPs, broke the passing record and then broke his own twice! He was also League MVP, selected to two All Pro’s, 4x Pro Bowl selections, and led the league in passing yards and touchdowns. His record since then is 47-13 with 125 TDs, four SB appearances and three straight trips to the big game. The haters will say he gained an unfair advantage, his stats show he’s only gotten better while being under a microscope.
How about a couple HOF QBs having Brady’s back. Joe Montana’ “It’s a stupid thing to even be talking about because they shouldn’t have the rule anyway.”
Dan Marino said “Every quarterback that has ever played the position understands that getting the footballs the way you like them before a game is part of the game. I mean I did it for years, Jim Kelly up in Buffalo did it, Tom’s doing it, Peyton Manning did it.” There was no unfair advantage at any point.
“Brady Doesn’t Have Any Individual records”
This is the Strangest thing I’ve seen from Brady Haters, so here’s a short list, just to show how nuts people get when talking about the GOAT.
Don’t forget about the 25 point comeback
“Brady Is the check down king”
There is this misconception that Brady doesn’t throw passes further than 5 yards. The problem with this theory is that Brady is 19th in the NFL throwing short passes. His 35.28% of short pass plays is better than quarterbacks like Big Ben, Luck, Ryan, Mahomes and the “Greatest” ever Aaron Rodgers.
The quarterback with the “most talent” Aaron Rodgers, who’s compared to Brady for reasons I don’t understand, throws short more than Tom.
Part 3 will include “Rodgers is better than Brady”, “The science behind Deflategate”, and much more. Feel free to give me any nonsense you’ve heard about Brady and we can put it on the list for the Haters.
Tom Brady theory’s or “myths” claiming he’s not a great QB make me laugh, so I’ve compiled the first edition of Tom vs Truth. I am a fan, yet I am using facts to end these ridiculous claims.
They Love you Until they Don’t
Once upon a time Tom Brady was America’s golden child, beating the greatest show on turf put him on the map. Fast forward to the present day and many things have changed. Six Super Bowl wins, multiple MVPs and a supermodel wife has had the country turned against the GOAT. Let’s start with these theory’s about TB12.
“Tom Is A Product of the Patriots System”
Haters across the country can’t stop calling Brady a system QB. While every team has a system, and 3/4s of the teams using the same style. Why aren’t they playing in February? The answer is Tom Brady. We know his skill, so let’s look deeper. Brady has had numerous Offensive Coordinators. In the beginning it was Charlie Weiss. Charlie’s offenses in NY and NE before Tom Brady were ranked 12th, 5th, 19th and 25th. Compare those numbers with a very green, backup QB in Tom Brady. Charlie’s 4 years with Tom his offenses ranked 6th, 10th, 12th and 4th. This is what I call the Brady difference. Weiss left after 4 years with Brady to coach Notre Dame, ending with a record of 41-49.
McDaniels Makes Brady
Josh McDaniels makes Tom Brady Great. Well no, not at all. He has had success with Tom just like Weiss, but without Brady his numbers declined drastically. Working with Brady, Josh McDaniels offenses have been incredible. The worst those two finished was 10th in points and 11th in yards. Every other season with Brady, New England’s Offense was ranked top 3 in points, with one top 5 finish. McDaniels in St.Louis and Denver running the same system, ranked 20th, 19th and dead last at 32nd. (Brady Difference.)
Bill O’Brien in 2011 must’ve been the reason Brady and the offense was 3rd in points scored right? I don’t think so, since leaving the Pats O’Brien’s offenses in points scored rank 14th, 21st, 28th, 17th and 11th. Quite the drop off without Brady under Center. So if you say “System QB”, I say it’s the Brady difference.
Well What About Bill Belichick? “He makes Tom Brady”
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick stands alone as the greatest HC, he must be why Brady’s so great
First let me say that while Bill is the best coach of all time, that didn’t really start until Brady came into the mix. In Cleveland Bill went 35-55, along with 5-11 his first year in NE without Tom. There’s that Tom Brady difference again.
2008 Same Team No Brady
But Matt Cassel went 11-5 when Brady was hurt
This argument often made by haters really grinds my gears: “If Brady is so good then how did Matt Cassel go 11-5?”
Well let’s break it down. The 2007 and 2008 teams had the same roster minus Donte Stallworth on offense. In 2007 Tom Brady and his offense set records for TDs, Rec TDs and points scored. The team went 18-0 only to lose the SB just missing the perfect season. The 2007 offense with Tom had a 315 point differential, compared to Cassel’s team dropping 214 points all the way down to a 101 point differential. So the same team, with different QBs went from the best offense ever, to average and missing the playoffs.
2007 Brady- 4,806 yards, 50 TD/8 INTs with a 117 Passer rating along with MVP honors.
2008 Cassel- 3,693 yards, 21 TD/11 INTs with an 89 passer rating with the same offense. (Brady Difference)
In 2010 Matt Cassel made the playoffs and the Pro Bowl with KC. He was no stiff, throwing 27 TDs to just 7 INTs, which was the second best ratio in the league that year. Who could’ve been number 1 I wonder? Tom Brady of course, as he won the only unanimous MVP in league history. Sorry to say again but the Brady Difference is quite obvious in this popular theory among haters.
“Tom Isn’t Good without a Great Defense”
The Patriots had a very good defense in Tom’s early years, and certainly was a huge factor in the first 3 Super Bowls. People say Brady was carried by his defenses, which is not the case. From 2001-2004, with Brady coming in as a backup, he put together 10 4th quarter comebacks and 15 game winning drives. The numbers seem to show he did his part and then some, but that’s not what the haters want you to think.
Brady led the NFL in TD passes in 2002, so it’s not a reach at all to say the Patriots may have not won those Super Bowls without Tom Brady. For example, in Super Bowl 38 the Pats defense gave up 29 points to the Panthers. A young QB named Tom Brady going up against a fierce defense threw for 354 yards, 3 TDs and his second clutch SB game winning drive. Without Brady things could’ve been a lot different that day.
Jumping ahead to Patriots Defenses that weren’t as talented. The four year stretch from 2010-2013, New England’s defense was never better than 25th in total yards allowed. But again Brady in 2010 won MVP and got the #1 seed. 2011 the Pats were back in the Super Bowl despite being 31st in yards against, and that’s due to Tom Brady. In 2012 and 2013, Brady and the Pats went back to the AFC Championship but lost. Some people think going as far as possible in sports and losing is worse than not making the championship game at all. Ridiculous.
In 2017 the defense was ranked 29th. Brady and the offense once again were back in the Super Bowl. Bill Belichick shocked Pats nation by benching Malcolm Butler. The defense got shredded by a backup QB, giving up 41 points. Even in defeat Brady put up historic numbers, throwing for 505 yards with 3 TDs with no INTs.
My conclusion on this theory about his Defenses is that Brady always has done his part to win games and make it to the AFC Championship or Super Bowl. I don’t see him being carried by anything, like the haters do. Another interesting stat: In 17 seasons the Pats Defense was statistically better than the offense only 3 times. In 9 of those 17 seasons with Brady as the starter, the defense was ranked 20th or worse in yards allowed. Defensive “myth” shut down with facts.
“Joe Montana Never Lost in the Super Bowl”
Key Number here is 4
The debate over Montana and Brady has many factors. Joe Montana was the Greatest ever in my eyes, up until Brady’s comeback in Super Bowl 49 against the Seahawks. Since Brady tied Montana with 4 Super Bowl wins, he has gone to 3 straight Super Bowls and won 2. The real crime here is the loss to the eagles. Brady had the best Super Bowl performance of all time.
Some people say Brady can’t be better than Montana because Joe cool never lost in his 4 chances. The fact of the matter is that every athlete would tell you getting to the Championship and losing is better than not making it there at all. As we all know, Brady’s been to 9 Super Bowls with 6 wins. Let’s not forget the amount of Hall Of Fame players Montana had on both sides of the ball. He also had a coach in Bill Walsh who came up with an offense no one had ever seen before. It took years for teams to adjust to this new style of football, a great coach and system that Montana thrived in.
Brady on the other hand did not, and still doesn’t have anywhere close to the number of Hall Of Fame players Joe had. The comebacks alone in Super Bowls favor Brady, having 6 in 6 wins. And did his part in the losses too, by getting the lead, only for the defense to break at the end.
Montana has been bounced twice in the divisional round, twice in the Wild Card and three times in the NFC Championship. Montana in 11 seasons has gone one and done in the playoffs 4 times.
The GOAT Tom Brady in 16 playoff runs is 13-2 in the divisional round, 2-1 in the WC round and 9-4 in the AFC Championship. Brady in 16 seasons has gone one and done just twice in the playoffs.
Is 4-0 better than 6-3 in the Super Bowl? If you’ve never played sports then maybe you’d say yes. The ultimate goal of any athlete is to go as far as you can. That is something Brady’s done better than Montana. Doing so with less talent, an offense that has been seen before (unlike the 49ers), all while getting better with age. Brady wins this round, the numbers don’t lie.
“Montana Played in a Tougher and Better Era”
Again, not taking anything away from Joe Montana, I’m just telling it how it is. Sure the rules for QBs have changed over the years, but Brady played in a tough era of football himself. Rule changes to help offenses didn’t make an ounce of a difference until 2011. QB numbers didn’t go up or benefit Brady for an entire decade. From 2000-2011 only two players had a season with great numbers, Brady in 2007 and Manning in 2004. Since 2011 pretty much every QBs numbers are inflated like never before.
Defining the toughness of different eras contains a few different things:
Free Agency -Montana played when teams didn’t change and Hall Of Fame players typically stayed together. Brady has had a revolving door of players throughout his entire career, mostly castaways who were turned into Champions.
Defensive players -Tom Brady has played and shredded some of the best defenders and all time defensive units and coaches. The 2000 Steelers and Ravens, 2003 Buccaneers, The LOB Seahawks were no match in the Super Bowl, 2015 Broncos, 2017 Jags, the two Giants Super Bowl teams and the 2018 Rams. Just think of the players on those teams, and how if it weren’t for Brady most of them would have Super Bowl rings.
Geography – Joe Montana Played in a sunny warm climate, while Brady’s been playing in the Northeast. Freezing temperatures, snow and rain in a division where he plays in Boston and New York. No problem for #12.
This is the first of my 3 part Myth Busting Brady Hate. Next up will be topics like “The AFC Least”, “Deflategate, “Brady has no records” and my personal favorite: QBs like Rodgers, Marino, Brees and Manning being on Tom Brady’s level. Starting to feel like I’m writing a book, so these next topics plus more will be coming out soon. Hope you Pats fans can use some of these facts when arguing with Brady hating friends.
As I’ve already mentioned, this offseason was one of, if not the most important offseason in Revs history. And it has also been one of the best offseasons for the team as well. Coming into the offseason, the team needed help defesivley and offensively, and they got both. They needed a goal scoring striker, a number 10 to replace Lee Nguyen, and a winger to replace Kelyn Rowe. It seems as if they have filled all of those roles in 2019. But how good did the team do in each category?
Goal Scorer: B-
The revs were desperately missing an attack last year. They never really had a solid goal scorer they could rely on. They acquired Juan Caicedo to play striker, who will hopefully step up and be the Revs new goalscorer. Caicedo is big, and will definitely have a big presence in the box this year, but his track record is the difference between his B- and a B+. So far Juan seems to be having himself a decent preseason with the team, only time will tell if he continues his form in the regular season
Play maker: B+
To replace Lee Nguyen, and his number 10 role with the team, the Revs have brought in Spanish playmaker Carles Gil as a DP player. As it stands, Gil is lining up to be the new number 10 for the Revs, unless they end up bringing in another attacker, in which case Gil will likely move to right wing position. Revs were also linked with Spanish player Bojan Krkic.
With Gil New England is set to have a decent attacking midfield as he posses a lot of skills the team has lacked in recent years. So why a B+? Gil is, for the most part, an unknown player to most. He certainly won’t be a reason to go to games alone. He is a skillful player who did very little with his short time in the premier league. After a few loans and his team getting relegated, he moved to the second division in Spain, which is still a high level, but not a guaranteed difference maker. Gil will have a lot of hype to live up to with the Revs.
Right Wing: C-
As of now, there isn’t a guaranteed spot for any player at right wing. The position is up for grabs, hence the low rating for it. The position could fall to as many as 5 players: Diego Fagundez, Justin Rennicks, Tajon Buchanan, Juan Agudelo or Dejuan Jones. While any 5 of those players could play the position, they will be fighting for minutes. Of the 5, Justin Rennicks would probably be the most suited for the spot as it is his most natural position, and has the most experience playing it. As mentioned earlier, the team could also sign a new player to take the spot or move Gil there. If this were to happen the grade could go up, but for now they get a C-.
Left Back: A-
Is Edgar Castillo the best left back in the world? Not even close. Is he one of the best left backs in MLS? Yes. If Castillo can stay healthy at the nimble age of 33 in 2019, the Revs will be solid at the left back position. This is a spot they have really struggled to fill the past few seasons. Castillo has been rated as the top 5 left backs in MLS the last few years for Colorado, if he can continue that form, our left back problems could be over. The only problem remaining at left back is their depth. The only other left back under contract with the team is Gabriel Somi. But Somi has been very vocal about wanting to leave due to lack of playing time. However, with the European transfer window closed, he most likely won’t be moved until the summer.
Center back: D+
Revs made no change to their Centerbacks beside trading former club captain Claude Dielna. The team currently only has 3 center backs under contract. This isn’t good if one of them gets injured. The team has however recently been linked with two American center backs who currently play for QPR in England. The two wouldn’t be starters, but they would be low-risk options for depth. If a player were to be unavailable for whatever reason, one of the two could fill in. Currently, their starting center backs will most likely be Michael Mancienne and Antonio Delamea or Jalil Anibaba. This isn’t the worst pairing, but it’s the same groupings that helped the Revs conceded 55 goals last season.
Overall: B+
Coming into the offseason, the Revs had 5 major needs to improve the team, and so far they have acquired 3 of the 5, and 4 if you count the Justin Rennicks signing. With the European transfer window coming to a close, the Revs have a lot of potential to snag up some players in Europe in the next few weeks including another max salary player as club president Brian Bilello hinted at. The Revs have definitely had one of the best if not THE best offseason in their 23 year history. Now, they have to prove it on the field
The Greatest Leader in sports-Tom Brady is going back to his 9th Super Bowl. Brady’s gone from the 199th pick in the draft, to arguably the greatest Athlete of all time. Brady’s play on the field is well documented, and his numbers are historic. The country has watched him grow as a player since 2001 and he’s gotten even better with age. Tom Brady could have 2 HOF careers, 2001-2007 and 2007-2018. It’s incredible what he has accomplished, and he has this team hungry to atone for last years’ Super Bowl loss.
Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Brady Is A Born Leader
Tom Brady has been a leader for the Patriots since his first start. Troy Brown was asked when he knew Brady was going to be great: “When Tom came to the huddle in Super Bowl 36.” Brown says “He was calm and said let’s go win this, I could see it in his eyes and I knew we were going to win.”
The Pats did drive down the field to win, just as Brown thought after seeing Brady’s leadership in the huddle. Tom was young back then, trying to lead players older than him. Brady recently has been dealt a new challenge. Leading players who are much younger than himself, and he’s done it for years now. This year in particular is amazing, with no teammates being over 15 years old when Brady won his first ring. Brady is just a born leader, and he’s found a way to reach every teammate, young or old.
Players Talking Tom Terrific
As New England is preparing for another Super Bowl, players are raving about Brady. Jason McCourty puts it best on why Brady is such a great leader: “After the game, you see Tom’s excited to celebrate with the offense, with the defense, with the special teams guys.” McCourty continues, “Obviously for a guy like Tom, this guy is the GOAT, you’ve seen him do it so many times that sometimes you take it for granted.”
The way Brady knows everyone from Gronk to practice squad players is truly amazing. Brady’s leadership quality is overlooked nationally, but not by his teammates.
One player who’s spent the least amount of time with Brady is Obi Melifonwu, who grew up a Patriots fan and is now a teammate of Tom’s, describes his quarterback: “He’s such a great leader. I can’t even say enough about his character and the type of guy he is, on and off the field. He’s the type of guy you want to play for.”
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Leading New Players, Young Players Or Vets…No Problem
Another new teammate Trent Brown: “He’s a great leader and it trickles down to the rest of the team.” Brown also said there’s one word that sums up all of Brady’s accomplishments: “There’s one word, GOAT, that’s it.”
Josh McDaniels said: “Brady is the first guy in the building to know a persons name.” Tom Brady is a living legend, yet somehow finds a way to connect with every player. Phillip Dorsett said: “We all know he’s much older than everyone in the locker room, but we do what we can to keep him young.”
The living legend was asked how he connects with every player so well: “I just play the role I can given the person and what I think they need at the moment.” Brady added: “It could be a rookie. It could be a veteran.”
The age gap this year is as big as it’s ever been, and Brady has mastered the art of relating to different generations.
Being a leader isn’t just about winning, it’s about being relatable, taking time to get to know your teammates, and no ones ever done it better than Tom Brady.
The Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore was named First Team All Pro by the AP today. The shutdown corner has been worth every penny since arriving in New England last year. Gilmore has proven to be one of the elite cornerbacks in the NFL, and is arguably the Patriots MVP this season.
Stephon Gilmore By The Numbers
Gilmore only allowed a 71.8 passer rating, while braking up 20 passes, finishing second in that category. The two interceptions Gilmore had shows that quarterbacks were throwing away from him. Pro Football Focus already ranked Gilmore as the top rated player at his position. The First Team All Pro honor is no surprise, as Tom Brady also had plenty of praise for his teammate on Wednesday. Brady compared Gilmore to some of the greats, saying he is right up there with them. Players like Law, Talib and Revis, two of which are future HOF CB’s.
Gilmore is a shutdown Cornerback
The Price was Right
This is Stephon Gilmore’s second Pro Bowl selection, but his first All Pro honor. Gilmore showed his value all year vs top notch opponents. The wide receivers Gilmore shadowed this year include DeAndre Hopkins, Antonio Brown, Stephon Diggs and Devante Adams, just to name a few. Gilmore raised the level of play from New England’s secondary as well. Jason McCourty and JC Jackson both have stepped up big time, and this secondary looks strong. The Patriots secondary has had some extremely impressive games in 2018 with Gilmore leading the way. The Vikings and Steelers dynamic WRs were no match for Gilmore and company.
Gilmore with the defensive play of the 2017 season
Stephon Gilmore started his Patriots tenure off slow, along with the rest of the defense last year. But as the season went on he improved each week, and made the play of the year breaking up a Blake Bortles pass attempt to finish the Jaguars off. Since that incredible play he continued to emerge as a top tier CB, and now is honored as the Top rated player at his position. The Patriots and fans hope that Gilmore won’t have anything to do with the Pro Bowl this year, as they’re all in for a Super Bowl run.
New England has lost its second game in December, the first time since 2002. The Patriots decided to take Josh Gordon out for the final play of the game. McDaniels answered questions, and Josh Gordon’s absence on that play was a hot topic.
Josh Gordon Should’ve been on the field on Sunday
Where was Josh Gordon
The Patriots loss didn’t come down to one single play, but again player personnel was an issue. After the game Bill Belichick was asked about Gordon’s absence. The head coach said they opted for Cordarrelle Patterson instead, which didn’t answer anything really.
Patterson is another big, athletic, jump ball receiver. The answer from Belichick didn’t cut it for me, because having Gordon and Patterson in for the play would’ve made sense. But that wasn’t the case, Gordon who played 58 snaps compared to Patterson’s 4 were swapped for the biggest play of the game.
McDaniels Explains Gordon’s Absence
The Patriots found themselves in position to tie the game after driving down the field. The game looked like every other Patriots comeback, until the holding call on second down. That penalty on second down moved the offense from the 11 yard line, back to the 21 yard line and loss of a down. The Steelers took a timeout before Tom Brady’s final attempt to win. Gordon ran to the sideline during the time out and left many scratching their head.
Via SI.com
Josh Gordon wasn’t made available to the media after the game. McDaniels said that “the offense had run quite a few plays in a row.” He Seems to be indicating Gordon was tired. He went on to say Patterson was sent in as a “fresh guy” to try and make a play. He stated there is no ulterior motive behind the decision.
Josh Gordon Gives The Patriots the Best Chance to Win
The whole situation is strange, and Tom Brady could have used Gordon’s big catch radius and play-making ability on 4th down. New England needs to win the final two games of the year, and Gordon needs to be on the field. Josh Gordon is the teams leading receiver, tied for most TDs, and had quickly become Brady’s go to guy. The Patriots need to play better on the field, but the play calling and coaching also need to be better moving forward.
