Tag Archives: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Patriots: On To New Orleans

After the Patriots got their wake up Thursday night against Kansas City, it’s on to New Orleans to play the Saints on Sunday. The Patriots appeared lost on offense, defense, and special teams. It was unusual for the Patriots to have a distraction get in the way.

Too much play, not enough work?

What was the distraction? The banner ceremony for one. But Brady and Bill have all the answers, right? Some players might think that this game was going to be a cakewalk but that certainly didn’t happen. Like Belichick said, “Last year was last year. This is a new year new team and everyone starts from the beginning.”

Another distraction? The Patriots missed Julian Edelman Thursday night. Fans everywhere predicted that someone like Hogan, Cooks, Amendola would step up. For some reason, Brady couldn’t connect with anyone. Or nobody could get open. I know Belichick doesn’t want to look to the past. But in 2014 when they lost to Kansas City, Belichick said the team fought to the end. Last Thursday it seemed like they just gave up. No fight. No urgency to win. Very unusual and sort of a kick in the butt that you won’t playing in Super Bowls with performances like that.

Brady and Belichick have shifted the team to only focus on this week’s opponent, the New Orleans Saints. The Saints didn’t look good on Monday night in their loss to Minnesota. The Patriots haven’t practiced all weekend. Puzzling. You would think after that performance Thursday, they would practice Sunday and Monday, off Tuesday, then practice on Wednesday. But the Patriots started practice Wednesday for the Saints.

The defensive line and the pass rush need work. Hopefully they get it together with these practices. I don’t see the Patriots going 0-2. I do think they bounce back this week and they have a better game against the Saints.

Defense Analysis of The Patriots’ Roster

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Forget the calendar. The real 2017 has finally arrived. the first game of our 2017 NFL season left a lot to be desired. But hey, just one game, and we all know the outcome of seasons with the same disappointing start. Here’s a quick analysis of the defense and what we need to do to be successful in the weeks to come.

Defense Wins Championships

One of the most overused phrases in team sports, but sadly it is quite true. Unless you have a perfect offense (we are close to that but ?), your defense has to play a key role in winning games. Big plays on defense can change a game’s momentum, and turn around what looked like a lost cause (remember Hightower in the SB?).

Defensive Backfield

In my opinion, our greatest defensive strength is the defensive backfield. At corner back, we have Gilmore and Malcolm Butler who would rank in the top three CB pairs in the entire NFL. Having such dominant players at CB usually should help take away opponents’ best wide receivers and throw off their offensive game plan. If the opponents can get around the “Velcro twins” of Butler and Gilmore then they have to deal with our safeties. The hard hitting duo of Chung and McCourty back there can make WRs hesitate for a moment before stretching out for that long pass.

When Coach Patricia goes to the nickel package, he has the freedom of bringing in players like Duron Harmon and Eric Rowe, both better than many teams’ starting defensive backs. Having depth in this area is never a bad thing, especially against a team that likes a vertical passing game. I feel that these guys don’t get enough credit because they are not as flashy as some other defensive backs in the NFL. Flashy is just that, and I will take effective and not flashy any day at all.

Linebackers

The defense could go either way here. This could be a strength of the team when all of the players play a solid “do-your- job” kind of game. But this part of the defense suffers with injuries to players like McClellin and Roberts, notably. The linebacker corp has seen an infusion of new guys like David Harris, formerly of the Jets (bet he thinks he won the lottery getting out of that mess) and Marquis Flowers. The stalwart of the linebacker corp remains — who else — the monster Dont’a Hightower, listed at 6 ft 3 and 265 lbs and can run like he is being chased by a grizzly. Hightower will get this group to focus on the job at hand and act as the QB of the defense, as he has for a number of years. This might not be the only job that Hightower has this season, and I will mention more on this shortly.

Having such a diverse group of “hybrid” LBs allows Coaches Patricia and Belichick to have the defensive players needed to handle almost anyone’s offense. These types of players can really cover more than just their own position and give an opposing offensive coordinator a few sleepless nights.

Defensive Line

This is where the big boys hang out, and the Patriots have a couple of players that give the scale a good workout. Start with the underrated Alan Branch, 6 ft 6 and 360 lbs (I think that he might not have had both feet on the scale there) and Trey Flowers. Both of these players are great and can disrupt an opposing offence quite easily. They may not get Von Miller or Aaron Donald-like sack numbers, but there is more to playing defense than getting “numbers.” Throw in newly acquired Cassius Marsh, formerly of the Seahawks, and that gives the Pats a formidable threesome. Do not forget that we also have players like Malcolm Brown who continues to improve as has behemoth Vincent Valentine.

The defensive line may not be our strength on defense, but we do have some very good players who “do their job” very well. They are not the flashy types of players like Donald or Miller, but I will take quiet and effective anytime. The only thing that matters is the score at the end of the game and not personal numbers.

My Radical Defensive Strategy

My off-the-wall thought for this year’s defense may seem a bit radical radical. Blame Andy Lykins, my BostonSportsExtra colleague, who brought it to my attention. With the unexpected retirement of Rob Ninkovich, would it be a crazy idea to insert Dont’a Hightower into Nink’s former role? Hightower is big enough, fast enough, and just ask Matt Ryan if he can get to the QB if he is let loose. This may require inserting David Harris possibly as the starting middle LB. Not a stretch in my opinion. This may seem like a radical departure from what Patriot fans are used to, but I think it could work very well.

The only thing that matters right now is that we get this season on track. Enough of the talk, let’s play some football. Let’s Go Patriots. Check out the 2017 Patriots roster at www.patriots.com Check out other great Patriots articles at www.BostonSportsExtra.com

Baltimore: America’s Sports Armpit

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Worse than New York

Though I now live outside Washington, DC and spent most of my adult life a nomad, I will always consider myself Bostonian to the core. There is only one kind of chowda, and only one way to say it. Dunkin Donuts kicks Krispy Crème’s ass. And, of course, New York sucks.

I hate everything about New York – from the filth in the streets to the noise pollution that is their accent. I hate the Yankees, the Giants, and all their fans – certainly in part because much of my childhood misery came at their hands. However, like most rationale Massholes, as much as we hate our neighbor to the south, we have to respect them. New York is a strong, important city with character and the Yankees and Giants have great traditions of winning.

The same cannot be said for the landfill three hours further south. Baltimore has not one redeeming quality. I’d rather live in Baghdad, again, than spend more than an hour in that cesspool.

Baseless Arrogance

Baltimore, a city that burned itself to the ground in a race riot two years ago and needed the National Guard and 1,000 police officers to restore order, still somehow presumes to lecture Boston on racism. I get it, the Red Sox were the last team in baseball to integrate. Yeah, it was almost six decades ago. Progress has been made.

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Maybe they haven’t heard that Red Sox principle owner John Henry is so overwhelmed with guilt that he doesn’t sleep well? The sport’s most aloof owner is “haunted” by the ghost of Tom Yawkey, who – like Scrooge’s Marley – apparently walks the concourses of Fenway Park in the dark of night howling racial epithets.

Perhaps it was Yawkey’s ghost who threw racial slurs at Adam Jones on that fateful night in May. That’s the only plausible explanation how in 2017, in a crowd of a thousand cellphone cameras, nobody caught the incident on video, nobody saw who said it, and not a single witness has been found. I’ve seen enough Discovery Channel to know you can’t see ghosts. It couldn’t possibly be that Adam Jones wasn’t telling the truth or just hates a divisional rival. Of course not.

Besides Jones, of course, my least favorite bird has to be Manny Mochado. Mochado spiked Pedroia on a dirty slide back in April and Pedroia hasn’t really been healthy since. If there were any justice in baseball he’d take a heater in the ribs every at bat in Fenway for the rest of his career.

The O’s are led by an equally unbearable ass. Buck Showalter once managed the Yankees, but since landing in “Charm City” has found the nerve to complain about baseball’s uneven financial playing field. Even more than the fact that he’s a hypocritical ass, I hate that he absolutely owns the Red Sox. Since taking over in 2011 the Orioles lead the head-to-head matchup with Boston 72-56. Thankfully, he’s simply awful in the post season, having one exactly one post season series in 19 years and posting a 9-14 record.

Showalter and his team love to talk about “playing the game the right way” and the unwritten rules of baseball. Save it. You haven’t even been to a World Series since 1983. Please stop talking until you do.

Whiney Losers

The truly sad thing is that the Orioles are actually Baltimore’s likeable team. Led by the whiniest coach this side of the University of Michigan, the Ravens may be the most disgusting franchise in all major North American sports.

I get the whole Edger Allen Poe thing, but let’s face it, only reason they chose the Raven as their mascot is that the NFL wouldn’t let them put the image of a battered spouse on their helmets. The greatest players in the history of the franchise are a murder and two spousal abusers. By the way, brave stance there with Ray Rice – once the video leaked anyway. Terrell Suggs? Oh, he’s still productive on the field so let’s not discuss his domestic abuse history.

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The Ravens aren’t just bad, they’re stupid. Baltimore once made Joe Flacco the highest paid player in league history – the self-appointed “elite” QB with a career QBR lower than Rich Gannon. Rich Gannon. Take a moment and let that sink in. And, of course, who can forget the 2015 AFC Divisional playoff game when New England twice took advantage of the same innovative, but fully-legal, formation to conceal eligible receivers to get critical first downs on scoring drives against Baltimore.

Harbaugh, of course, lost his mind – first on the field with the officials, then in the post-game press conference, and finally in the off season when Baltimore joined other teams to petition the league to change the rules. To this day, Harbaugh cries foul, despite the fact that the league has confirmed time and again that the formations were legal.

The Ravens didn’t make the playoffs last year. They probably won’t this year either. Neither of those facts will stop Harbaugh from being a whiney sideline diva.

One Good Thing

We are a week away from the final Red Sox – Orioles series of the year. Baltimore will most likely miss the post season again – for the fifth time in Showalter’s eight years as manager. With any luck they will finish below .500. But, as we head into this final series, we should recognize that Baltimore has in fact given us one thing for which we should be thankful: the HBO series The Wire. It’s saying something that this city’s greatest contribution is a cable drama about their crime and political corruption. As we assess the Orioles and Ravens, their contemptible players, their unlikeable leaders, and their seemingly unending jealousies of the Red Sox and Patriots, I offer this final thought, from The Wire’s great warrior poet Omar Little: “you come at the king, you best not miss.”

Patriot’s Scary Offense: A roster analysis Part 2

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Now that the glory of the 2017 NFL season is upon us and the anticipation of training camp behind us, we can take stock of the roster as it heads into the early part of the year. The situation is very fluid and much of the bottom of the roster will be churned in an effort to repeat as Super Bowl Champions. The offense had quite a few surprises. How does it look for this season? How is it shaping up for the next two to three years? Read on and find out.

Quarterbacks

Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo

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)

The surprise trade of Jacoby Brissett really sent shock waves throughout the fans. It answered one question; are we carrying three quarterbacks this year? And raised many others. Is Jimmy G tagged or extended after this year? Is it Tom Brady’s last year? Will TB12 be extended too? Unfortunatethird we will most likely have to wait for the playoff run to end before we get our answers. But I can tell you this; getting an asset that you can play for even 25% of the snaps is better than a 3rd QB who you hope to never have to see throw the ball. And the Patriots figure to sign a guy to the practice squad once some of the injuries at other positions clear up.

Running Backs

Mike Gillislee, Rex Burkhead, James White, Dion Lewis, Brandon Bolden (ST), DJ Foster (PS)

After all the drama of the running back competition, it looks surprising similar to the off season roster. Even Bolden made it back after a couple of days unemployment. This could be the most talented group of ball carriers that Tom Brady has ever shared the backfield with. Ground and pound the ball, check. Pass protectors, check. Dynamic pass catchers, check. The only downside to this unit is that two of them are UFA and even Gillislee is expendable if he doesn’t perform to expectations. That means that it could be facing a large amount of turnover in the off season again.

Wide Receivers

Danny Amendola, Brandin Cooks, Phillip Dorsett, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, Matthew Slater (ST), Demarcus Ayers (PS), Cody Hollister (PS)

Disaster struck when Julian Edelman went down in the preseason with a torn ACL. This could’ve been a record-setting unit, but without Elelman wel’l have to settle for merely scary. Instead, the bombshell of trade that sent Jacoby Brissett to the Colts for their speedy wideout Phillip Dorsett brought back those thoughts. It will take some time for him to gel and for it to transition from a dink and dunk with a gritty Edelman getting those third to bombs away, chunk grabbing TD machine, wiith Cooks, Hogan and Dorsett. Mitchell and Amendola are great depth receivers but both are injury-prone and should not be counted on extensively. Even with Edelman’s and Mitchell’s injury worse the Pats have a very deep and scary unit this season.

Tight Ends

Dwayne Allen, Rob Gronkowski, Jacob Hollister

And the last man standing in the battle royale for the 3rd tight end is – Jacob Hollister. Showing up for big stretches in all the preseason games and practices, the undrafted rookie out of Wyoming secured his spot on the roster. A naturally fluid route running and great hands won him his job and as a better blocker will have him stick. And when you consider he gets to learn behind one of the young greats at that position in Rob Gronkowski, his future looks bright. Dwayne Allen as the backup on an offense that likes its two tight end sets appears extremely fortuitous.

Offensive Line

David Andrews, Joe Thuney, Marcus Cannon, Cole Croston, Cameron Fleming, Shaq Mason, LaAdrian Waddle, Nate Solder, Willie Beavers (PS), James Ferentz (PS), Ted Karras (PS)

If the shockwaves from the Brissett/Dorsett trade registered an 8.0, then the surprise cut of Ted Karras as the backup interior lineman in favor of Cole Croston was a mere 3.0. But have no fear Karras fans (@stevenviner1). He made it back on the practice squad. Other than that,- this is the unit that completed the comeback for the Super Bowl. Everyone is back and getting healthy. With another year under offensive line maven Dante Scarnecchia we should really see some wire-to-wire improvements. Next year will provide some uncertainty as Fleming, Waddle and Solder are all free agents after the season. Rookie Tony Garcia will spend the season on the Non-Football Injury list. Hopefully he’ll compete next year for a depth spot.

All in all a very powerful unit to begin the season with. They’ve already weathered several injuries and upheavals and there will undoubtedly be more. As long as Tom Brady is back there healthy and slinging the football the team will be competitive and a threat to win every game. If the injury fairy has completed its visit this season and the newcomers and young guys all step up, they have the potential to break some records this season as they begin their quest for the sixth ring.

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Follow me on Twitter @ALykins32

Blessing In Disguise– Gaining From a Loss

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Well folks, if you are like me, I’ll bet you are glad that the first game is over. The Pats got a slice of humble pie that I believe they needed. On a positive note, I believe that the loss to KC will prove a true blessing in disguise.

Why I Think the Loss Will Help Us

The loss to the Chiefs at Gillette on September 7th was more than a little disheartening to Patriots’ fans. A large portion of Patriot Nation already planned out the SB route for next February. Even before we had played one quarter. I believe some of the players believed the hype, even though Coach Belichick would definitely say otherwise. There are reasons you play the games, because anything can happen. The Patriots lost, Hightower and Amendola before the last play and it looked like all was lost. To tell the truth, it made it evident to fans and even coaches that the Patriots had some work to do.

I believe the media can be blamed as culprits for starting the perfect season pressure for the 2017 season. With the loss to the Chiefs, the Patriots just have to go out and play their games. The pressure to win to keep up the undefeated string went up in musket smoke, as did “dreaming the impossible dream”. By not having that large monkey hanging off their backs, the Pats may just run the table now out of sheer determination.

What The Loss Will Show Us About The Patriots

This recent loss will truly be a blessing to the coaching staff of the Pats because they will constantly remind the players of it. Knowing players like Brady, Amendola, Hightower, and many others, they just want to get back to winning. The loss will also show us that the team will have to go back to “Patriot Fundamentals” and just “do their job”. Not trying to do too much or something that is just not your strength got the team wrapped around the axle. Brady firing the bomb way too often, and running up the middle without extra blockers — just a couple of examples of what I’m talking about.

Anyone who knows me also knows that when the Patriots’ offense slows down, I’m always screaming the same thing at the TV. “Go to up tempo no huddle” and whenever we do, it succeeds. The offense finds a rhythm and the opposing defense just ends up being gassed. This stops them from putting up much of a challenge. That would be our savior on one side of the football, but our defense may need more tweaking than that.

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)

What The Defense Can Learn From The Loss

We saw more than a few little gaps exposed on the Patriots’ defensive unit during the loss against Kansas City. It is very evident to myself that Dont’a Hightower is truly the key to our defense. His role became painfully evident when he left the game. Other players and the coaches could truly see that for themselves. A solid effort is going to be required by the defensive unit this week against the Saints. Getting pressure on Drew Brees is always the key, and the Minnesota Vikings did a great job of that this week. Getting QB pressure has been challenging for the Patriots’ defense. The D unit is going to have to find a way this week to get the W,.

How do you get pressure on the QB when you are struggling to do so? That’s easy in my opinion. You do things that your opponent does not expect. If you bring pressure on Brees from the safeties, corners, or even blitz LBs up the middle at unexpected times you will have success. The key to this? Getting in Drew Brees’ face.

I believe the running game for the Saints should be non-existent if our D-line plays the way we know they can. Forced into the passing game, the defense has to hurry Brees. The defense also has to cover the backs out of the backfield. Those are Brees’ safety valves, lacking a multitude of other offensive weapons to bail him out. By blitzing, it will be difficult for Brees to use his other reliable safety valve of Colby Fleener. Fleener would be required to block for Brees or risk getting him creamed..

All Is Not Lost

Everyone soon will see that the loss against the Chiefs was a true blessing in disguise for the Patriots. No more listening to the reporters and analysts go on about the flawless season, and if it can be kept up. Listening to the coaches and knowing that if you all “do your job” than this team should win. I truly believe we have a great chance of this team hoisting another Lombardi trophy in Minnesota next February. Do not give up hope. e have the best leaders in the sport on this team. Let’s go Patriots!

Check out more stories on the Patriots at www.BostonSportsExtra.com by myself and our other great writers.

For the Love of the Game…

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It’s game day.

Your buddies are over your house.

Pacing the room with excitement for kickoff.

Running to the fridge to grab another round of beers.

High-fiving when the Patriots score.

Maybe toss the pigskin around the yard at halftime?

Nothing better, right?

Meet Matt

Matt will never be able to do any of these game day routines.

Matt is 8 years old and holds a diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). SMA is a disease that robs people of physical strength by affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, taking away the ability to walk, eat, or breathe. It is the number one genetic cause of death for infants.

SMA sucks, but what this disease has not robbed Matt of is his love, passion and flat-out acumen for all-things-sports.

This is not about SMA. This is about a kid who smiles through all his challenges and many of those smiles appear on his handsome face when he is watching sports. Sports, in particular, the New England Patriots, allows Matt that same feeling of excitement we all get when enjoying our favorite teams play the games. Watching sports puts Matt on a level playing field with the rest of us. And while Matt can not run around and play catch or high-five his older brother, he gets that same pit of joy in his belly when kickoff/first pitch/tip-off happens.

Matt is 162 Red Sox kid. An 82 Celtics kid and certainly a 16 (ok, 19) Patriots kind of guy.

This boy is an animal for it all….and a student.

Matt knows football

Here is his quick pre-season rundown he spits out to Mom on a ride to the doctors the other day…

Matt on the Pat’s Season

Matt absorbs sports knowledge like a sponge. He can literally rattle off every play in order when watching Superbowl 51…because he has literally watched it 51 times (at least). Being with Matt during a game makes it better. He doesn’t miss a play, a pitch or a jump shot.

Here is another clip right before kickoff Thursday night…

Matt is “pumped”

He rattled off every NCAA March Madness seed to me last spring. How about doing your math homework instead, chief?

I caught Matt watching a 2012 NBA finals game on-demand. Were the Celtics even in that one, weirdo?

I almost told his parents to have him committed for a psychiatric evaluation!

Matt makes you truly appreciate those high-fives and games of catch that he can’t participate in. In perhaps its’ purest form, Matt demonstrates why we love sports and that his passion can not be taken away from him by any ailment or perceived “disability”.

Matt is the man. (Did I mention he is my nephew?)

And lastly, if you are ever in a bar debating what was the greatest touchdown in football history, I’ll settle the bet for you, ’cause Matt scored it in the storied Westford Pop Warner E season opener of 2015.

Don’t Panic Patriots Fans!

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Put away your pitchforks and torches, estranged Patriots fans. The sky is not falling.

Patriots fans across the nation were left speechless after an astonishing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the inaugural game of the 2017-18 season. The Patriots celebrated the unveiling of their newest banner commemorating their victory in Super Bowl 51, but their play was nothing close to the caliber of their performance back in February. A swift bout on consecutive drives energized supporters as the Patriots soared to a 17-7 lead in the second quarter. However, Gillette Stadium fell to a murmur after the Chiefs’ offensive resurgence in the second half, the Patriots fell 42-27.

The Patriots? Losing? In their home opener? Armageddon must be upon us. What happened to going 16-0 in the regular season?

The truth is that there were too many factors adding up early into this season that made being perfect impossible. The Patriot’s schedule in its own is rigorous enough to raise a few eyebrows. Tonight’s home opener against the Chiefs was one of the Pats’ true tests in the waking moments of the season. The Chiefs coming into the season are ranked as the 7th best team, per ESPN, and have only improved after adding depth into their powerful defense like linebacker Ukeme Eligwe. Other notable tough match-ups later into the season include the vengeance-seeking Falcons, and away both against the Raiders and Steelers.

The Patriot’s performance did not amount up to their Super Bowl 51 victory. However, it is noteworthy that the Patriots have become mechanically different from they were in February.

Both injuries and free agent acquisitions shook up the roster. Star reciever Brandin Cooks joined the squad as well along with running backs Mike Gillislee and Rex Burkhead.

Two of the more prevalent roster changes are that of which Rob Gronkowski returning to his starting role after dealing with injuries for the past two seasons, and Tom Brady’s go to receiver Julian Edelman suffering a torn ACL and planning to miss the entire year. Emotions for those faithful of the Patriots became high when Edelman took the field during the pregame banner ceremony.

Another huge loss for the Patriots came from a surprise retirement from linebacker and defensive end Rob Ninkovich. Since his departure with the team the Patriots’ edge rushing core has been far from the same. This and the dwindling wide receiver depth has proved to be the Patriots’ challenges early on. Without a proven edge rusher adjacent from Trey Flowers the defense has shown struggling on pass rushing Week One. Dont’a Hightower seemed to be the answer to this call until he left the game with a right knee injury. Tom Brady also showed frustration after his new primary target Danny Amendola left the game with a head injury. All production thereon out came to a halt in the second half. Subsequently the team’s morale fell as their lead depleted.

Coach Belichick was blunt with his answer on how he felt the game went in his post game interview:

Bill Belichick is not pulling punches pic.twitter.com/SyZgWJ0QmQ

— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) September 8, 2017

A new year and huge expectations for a seemingly stable squad, when really some cogs in the machine are now replacements. September for Coach Bill Belichick is a month of trial and error with his ever-changing squads each year. The first weeks of the regular season are used to revise any holes on the roster and exploit player’s strengths. Jonas Gray, Malcolm Butler, and Dion Lewis all metamorphosed before fan’s eyes by Belichick’s system.

Fear, not Patriots fans, this loss is not one that marks any end of the dynasty. Like in 2014 when critics began to echo “Brady’s time is up”, the Patriots will come back swinging. Future Hall of Famer Coach Belichick has seen situations like this before with the team and is capable of making fixes to better the squad for the future.

Did the Chiefs outplay the Patriots? Yes. Have the Patriots lost all chances to make a postseason run already after losing this game? Absolutely not.

We’re on to New Orleans.

Ranking The Super Bowl Banners

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It’s that time of year again. It gets darker earlier, summer fades,, the leaves change, and football begins. This season is a bit different though, as the Patriots will drop their fifth Super Bowl banner Thursday night against Kansas City. Coach Belichick has moved on from Super Bowl LI, but In honor of the fifth Super Bowl Banner, let’s rank them.

5. Super Bowl XXXIX

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My fifth-best Super Bowl is Super Bowl XXXIX. February 6, 2005 matched up the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Super Bowl was held in Jacksonville that year and it didn’t disappoint. The players on that team included Troy Brown, Teddy Bruschi,and Rodney Harrison, who got the game winning interception. Deion Branch earned MVP honors in that Super Bowl. He had 12 targets, and 11 receptions, for 133 yards. Tom Brady passed for 236 yards, and two touchdowns in the win, to record his third Super Bowl title, with a 24-21 win.

I chose this game in fifth place because they had just come off a Super Bowl win the previous year, and it seemed almost as if they were expected to beat the Eagles that Season. Following that Super Bowl, though, Coach Belichick lost his father, and Teddy Bruschi had a health scare. The Patriots wouldn’t win another Super Bowl for 10 years after the third.

4. Super Bowl XXXVIII

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I rank Super Bowl XXXVIII s fourth best. The Patriots played the Carolina Panthers in Houston and were favored. Brady looked for his second Super Bowl Victory after only being in the league for three years at that point. The Patriots won that game 32-29 on an Adam Vinatieri field goal to win it. Tom Brady was the MVP in that Super Bowl and passed for 354 yards, and three touchdowns.

The reason it’s my fourth best Super Bowl is because my third one just blows this one out completely. The Patriots Panthers Super Bowl was a good game and close, like every Super Bowl the Patriots play in. You’ll see why number 3 is my third best Super Bowl.

3. Super Bowl XLIX

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My third Super Bowl pick is Super Bowl XLIX. You can call it the “Malcolm Butler Super Bowl.” Former Patriots coach Pete Carroll hoped for a Super Bowl win for his Seahawks. The Patriots had the Lombardi in their sights for their first Super Bowl win in 10 years. At this point in Brady’s career he was sliding a little. Garoppolo was drafted in the 2014 draft. The Patriots had two losses previously in the Super Bowl in 2011, and 2007. This one was important. Thank God for Pete Carroll’s insane coaching decision to throw at the one yard line instead of handing it off. Malcolm Butler gets the INT to seal the 28-24 victory.

This game is number three because Brady was nails and made a statement that he was the best in the league. He passed for 328 yards and four touchdowns. They also hadn’t won in decade so they were overdue, big time.

2. Super Bowl LI

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Why would this be number two? The greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. Down 28-3 with 2:08 left in the third quarter. Tom Terrific once again puts the statement on the field that at 39 he is still the best quarterback in the league. Brady, as we all know, was suspended last season because of the so-called ‘deflategate’ and came out firing, from October 9th- February 5th.

The Patriots finally had a miracle catch of their own with Julian Edelman, and James White’s game-winning touchdown sealed it. Brady passed for 466 yards and two touchdowns.

1. Super Bowl XXXVI

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The Patriots-Rams Super Bowl was a special one. This is my number one Super Bowl for a lot of reasons. Not only was it their first Super Bowl win but they came out as a team. They were the first team to do so. They were heavy underdogs, and it was a Red, White, and Blue season after 9/11. So everything the Patriots stood for made sense after they won this game, which makes this Super Bowl win the best. It was Tom Brady’s first ever Super Bowl after being drafted in the sixth round the year before.

Ty Law had an INT, David Patten caught a pass, and Adam Vinatieri sealed the deal, and the Patriots won 20-17.

All these years later on Thursday we begin another chapter in New England Patriots history. They unveil their fifth Super Bowl banner, and the “Blitz For Six” begins. The past 17 years have been extraordinary. Let’s hope the next 17 are even better.

2017 Patriots’ Opener: The Average Fan’s Day

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Gillette Stadium seats approximately 66,000 people. As, a lifelong New Englandah’ I will describe with confidence the exact experience that about half of those ticket holders will endure. This coming Thursday, our Super Bowl Champion Patriots take the field to kick off the 2017 NFL season.

Am I making some biased judgements and stereotyping about our fans? You betcha. Am I accurate? Yes, yes I am. (Remember that Saturday Night Live skit? It’s pretty much like that with a football game included)

The average Patriots fan’s game day experience

Fan’s Name: Jimmy “Murph” Murphy

Occupation: Verizon Technician

Hometown: Weymouth, Massachusetts

September 7th, 2017

8:11AM

Murph texts his game buddies some ridiculous motivational message like “GameDay bitches” or “#LetsGO”

9:28AM

Snoozing in his Verizon truck counting the minutes until he can duck out of work

11:17AM

Crushes a Subway Italian B.M.T. bragging to his fellow lineman ‘How f*cked up he is gonna get at the game‘ and probably will be ‘”bangin’ in sick on Friday‘

Lyin’ to go to the Rayzah ain’t a lie

2:26PM

Punches out early and races home

2:27PM

Pulls in to Kappy’s Liquors. Grabs two 30 racks of Bud Heavies, a bottle of Fireball for the game and a tallboy Heineken single for the ride to the house.

3:01PM

Slaps on his “vintage” Doug Flutie Patriots jersey to complement his Lee carpenter jeans and Timberland workbooks (take a few hits off the bong while waiting for his jackass buddies to pick him up. (“Where are these assholes?” mumbles to himself).

Jet Fuel? Check.

3:24PM

Finishes packing cooler. Grabs ticket. Sitting on froth steps. Two more beers imbibed during this ‘process.’

3:39PM

Murph’s buddies roll up to his house in a 2012 Ford F-150. Truck is packed with a full tailgate spread, a TV and that bumper sticker of the guy pissing on a New York Yankees emblem. Tobes, Dunny and, the driver, Moose are ready to roll.

3:48PM

Tobes spills beer and gets screamed at and mocked by the other three

3:49PM

Tobes: F*ck you guys.

4:18PM

Traffic on Route 1 sucks. Dunny has to piss and they are not pulling over so he fills the empty Gatorade Skoal dip-spit bottle he found under the driver’s seat. Pours said urine out drivers side window. Some sprays on Moose. Dope slap delivered to Dunny’s dome.

4:39PM

Enter Gillette parking lot. Tailgate setup is down to a science. Murph and Dunny immediately start playing 10-car length catch and do zero of the work.

5:01PM

Grill is lit, TV is on, crew is about nine-beer level and the insane statements and predictions begin.

“16-0…definitely.”

“Edelman sucked anyway.”

“I heard Brady has hair plugs.”

“You get any of those Bahstool towels?”

“Goodell is a piece of sh%t.”

6:22PM

FIREBALL!

Beer goggles

6:36PM

Dunny attempts to ‘get some girls ovah heeya’.

7:03PM

Murph throws up a little behind the truck. Hides it from the boys.

7:32PM

‘We should get in there’. Two beers shotgunned all around to get the buzz up knowing they are looking at $11 Bud Lights inside The Big Razor.

7:46PM

March in to Gillette begins. Moose nearly gets in a fight with “some p#$$y with a Jets jersey on“.

7:48PM

Tobes forgot his ticket on the dashboard. Has to run back. Murph throws an 1/2 empty beer at him as he turns back.

7:52PM

Quick hit of the one-ie for Dunny.

7:55PM

Enter gates

Blitz for Six — it’s on

8:07PM

Stadium rocking. Goodell hate-chants begin.

8:15 – 11:45PM

Banner, Anthem, and the complete dismantling of the Kansas City Chiefs

11:45PM – February 2018

ROAD TO SUPER BOWL 52!

P.S. Murph never made it to work the next day.

Roger That !! Goodell Scores a Five-Year Contract Extension

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Imagine this if you will. Just visualize the insanity I speak of. As the chairman of a large corporation, you have a great relationship with your board but a lousy one with all of your other employees. Probably not the recipe for a rather large contract extension you would not think? Only in the bizarro world that is the NFL would this craziness ever actually take place.

Despite all of the chaos that has occurred in the back offices, in court, and on the field, Roger Goodell has received a five year contract extension through the 2024 NFL season. Looks like money talks to the owners, really all they care about in NFL world. The extension starts at the end of his current contract, which runs out in 2019. Terms were not directly disclosed, but it is thought to be for around 40-42 million dollars annually (sorry that is not a misprint).

Goodell Still Has The Owner’s Support

Goodell took on probably the two most powerful owners in the NFL in Kraft and Jones. But that does not seem to have cracked the foundation holding up that giant inflated head of Goodell. The owners appear to be solidly on Goodell’s side as long as the NFL machine continues to make money.

Both of Goodell’s run-ins with the Patriots (I won’t even say anything about, this I promise) and the Cowboys involved player suspensions. I personally thought that the owners would turn on Goodell like a pack of wolves with these suspensions. Brady’s four-game sentence came right out of the Dark Ages, requiring no proof if the Overlord (that’s Goodell by the way) wants things to happen a certain way. That’s enough of the old wound, Pats’ fans. The suspension that the NFL and mainly Goodell levied against Ezekiel Elliott seemed along the same lines, in my opinion. Elliott avoided a criminal offence charge, but the NFL forged ahead with a six-game suspension. I am not saying that Elliott is a model citizen, but six games seems like a hefty suspension without the man even getting criminally charged. If the Overlord wants it to happen, then damn it make it happen, he says. Let’s not forget the whole “Bountygate” fiasco where Goodell hung the entire Saints organization out to dry because he felt like he should. Ridiculous.

Show Me The Money

The NFL has taken a hit in the ratings department recently, but that does not stop the cash from flowing into the NFL vault. The league makes bushels from TV rights, merchandise sales, multimedia rights, and ticket sales, the rationale for owners signing Goodell to the whopping extension. If the owners are making money and Goodell takes the flak for all of the stupid moves he makes, then they will welcome him with open arms.

Another reason that Goodell gets the owners’ blessings? There will likely be labor unrest when the current CBA ends in 2021. Goodell and the owners previously locked out the players and hammered out a deal that has benefited the owners handsomely. The players got screwed in the current CBA and the owners made out like champs, and this is what the owners are hoping for again. I will bet you that the whole mess of guaranteed contracts will be the stickiest point for the two sides to deal with, That will be a nasty negotiation and may require a long work stoppage.

Can The Clown Negotiate A New TV Deal?

Goodell’s biggest challenge, outside of the new CBA, will be negotiating the new TV contracts for the NFL. The cable companies have crapped the bed and only the major networks will be carrying around any cash for the NFL. I do not see how they will be offering the enormous dollar figures that the league has become accustomed to. Let’s see how Goodell will spin that around to make it look like someone else’s fault.

To sum things up, you can be a gem of a person to your immediate superiors who are the NFL owners and you will receive a great new contract. It does not matter that you treat the actual employees of the company (the players) like a herd of cattle. Goodell does not believe that the growing body of evidence that playing football causes head injuries has merit. This fact alone makes Goodell a major idiot in my books. How can you deny something so obvious? Simply ridiculous to believe otherwise. Oh yeah, because the owners want him to think that way. Goodell might be an ass, but he is a rich one that is way up the owners’ butts.