Tag Archives: NFL

How Do You Beat Brady and The Hoodie ?

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I think it is time to ask the question again that many NFL teams have been asking themselves for years.  The pressing question is “How do you beat Brady and the Hoodie?”  The answer is really not complicated, but it is the execution that’s so difficult.  In this article I will elaborate a little further to show you why Brady and the Hoodie make such a formidable tandem.

 

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

The Real Answer is Quite Simple

If you really want to beat Tom Brady and Bill Belichick then you just need to out- work them.  See what I mean, it is not a complicated answer so why does it not happen more?  The reason why it is hard to out-work TB12 and Coach B is that they constantly work and try to improve.  Their sheer dedication and desire to  to win and improve makes them just so damn good.

Think about how dedicated you would have to be to win and improve if you were Tom Brady.  He has already won more then almost anyone else that has ever played in the NFL, so why the desire?  That is the intangible that makes Brady better then anyone that has ever played the QB position in the league’s history.  The very same thing can be said about Bill Belichick when it comes to wanting to win and improve.  Both of these men still have as much desire as they have did when they joined the league.

You Just Have To Out Work Them

As I have been saying, the way to beat Brady and the Hoodie is to just out-work them.  That is such a simple but impossible thing to actually accomplish though.  It is your off day as an NFL player, and you decide that you are going to hang out with some buddies.  This is where you have already lost. Tom Brady is at home with his clicker in hand watching video of your team.  Tom has looked at every defensive scheme your team can use against him.  Not only that, but already figuring out how to beat them as well.  That is why Tom Brady is a winner and your team comes close but does not win.

Coach Belichick is a man that constantly studies football.  Coach does not spend any time using all that social media like Snapface, because he has better things to do.  There is not a scenario that Coach B and his other coaches are not prepared for when playing the game.  The best team in the NFL at making adjustments at all points of the game is Belichick’s Patriots.  BB is always the next move ahead of you, which makes beating him very difficult to anticipate.  It is evident to anyone watching that Brady and Belichick are playing chess and the others are playing checkers.

 

Do You Have The Dedication To Beat Them?

The biggest question that opposing players and coaches have to ask themselves is “are we dedicated enough?”.  Unless you are not willing to put in more work than ever then you cannot expect to win.  The tandem of Brady and Belichick are just willing to out work anyone and everyone in their path.  You would have to expect to lose unless you can match their dedication and work.  Both of these men have forgotten more then most players and coaches will ever remember about football, period.  Unless you have the dedication to give your blood, sweat, and tears to the sport then you will just come close but not win as much as you think.

 

 

Two Minute Drill: Every AFC Team’s Season in a Nutshell

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NEW YORK JETS

Josh McCown proved he can still play at age 38, maybe better than he ever has. As a team, the Jets proved they respect HC Todd Bowles as they fought hard in every game this season. This group certainly exceeded everyone’s expectations. Unfortunately for the Jets, exceeding expectations means going 5-11.

BUFFALO BILLS

A very rocky season full of highs and lows, rather typical for Buffalo. What was not typical for the Bills was making the postseason for the first time in 17 years. Hey Sean McDermott, I have an idea for next season; maybe don’t bench Tyrod Taylor for Nathan Peterman. Just a thought.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

The Dolphins are always so unpredictable, you never really know what to expect from this group. However, two things remain constant.

  1. They will always give Tom Brady a hard time in Miami
  2. Jay Cutler is not the answer

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Pretty Typical season for the Pats. The world ends after a few tough losses. The media claims Brady has “nothing left in the tank.” Brady puts together an MVP-caliber season. The Patriots finish first in the AFC East at 13-3. New England has again found themselves on their way to another AFC Championship game following a game against the bye wee- I mean Tennessee Titans.

Image result for tom brady

patriotswire.usatoday.com

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Much like Brady, Big Ben silenced his haters with efficient play in the second half of the season following a rough start. Teams still do not have an answer for Le’Veon Bell or AB. Pittsburgh is a home win away from earning the privilege of losing to New England in the Conference Championship.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Gotta give credit to these guys for their scrappy nature and ability to find ways to win games. Baltimore finished 9-7 with a non-existent offense and the worst version of Joe Flacco we have ever seen. On the other hand, I want to take away any credit I gave to them for losing to Cincy at home in a scenario in which a win would have clinched a playoff birth (facepalm).

CINCINNATI BENGALS

The Bengals flat out sucked this year. Their highlight of the season was probably the three-point loss in Green Bay when Rodgers was still healthy. However, the Bengals did one thing better than everyone else this year; play the spoiler role. In weeks 16 and 17 they knocked off the Lions then the Ravens to eliminate each team from playoff contention. Also, Marvin Lewis IS back for next season.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

The Browns season could be symbolized by a big pile of something else that is typically brown. If their season goal was to put together their best ’08 Lions impression then might I say “Job well done boys.” Unfortunately, I think their goal was probably to win a game, which they did not do.

Image result for cleveland browns lose

cbssports.com

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Ahh finally, a good team, tough to come by in the AFC. The Jags were certainly one of the biggest surprises of the season. Finishing 10-6 is rather impressive considering no one really projected this team to even be in the playoff hunt. The key to their success? Calais Campbell + Malik Jackson + Jalen Ramsey + AJ Bouye = nightmare for opposing QB’s.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

No luck for the Andrew Luck-less Colts. If there is anything positive to take away from this season it may be Jacoby Brissett. Nothing too special stats wise but the kid did a pretty decent job this year. Considering the fact that he was given a bottom-three offensive line and defense, he deserves a little credit. 17 total TD’s compared to just seven interceptions isn’t too bad given the circumstances.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Strange season for the Titans. Many expected improved play by Mariota would lead to Tenneessee winning the AFC South rather easily. However, they played pretty poorly all year but  ended up with a 9-7 record, thanks to an easy schedule. They somehow won their wild card playoff game in KC And now head to New England for a true test.

HOUSTON TEXANS

Every team has to deal with injuries, but the Texans may have had the most injured team in the league. Of course, good teams learn how to play without key players. However, the fact of the matter is that sometimes too many key injuries is simply too much to over come. The loss of JJ Watt and Whitney Mercilus pretty much ruined the foundation of this defense, then losing Deshaun Watson was the final blow. Bright future for this team though.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

It was a season of streaks for the Chiefs. It went hot, cold, hot, out. they started the season 5-0. Then lost six of seven to drop to 6-6. Then finished the season on a four-game win streak to finish 10-6. Right as it looked like they were back on track, they lost to the Titans at home in the first round of the playoffs. Yes, the Tennessee Titans.

Image result for derrick henry vs chiefs

kansascity.com

 

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

I firmly believe that this team was the most unlucky of all the NFL teams. They had a reputation of not being able to close out games. Early on this year they were having that issue. They lost three of their first four games by a combined seven points. Two of those games could have been won with a Younghoe Koo last-second field goal. However he decided to miss both. They got red hot mid season but ultimately came up short.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

Probably the most disappointing team of the season. So much promise from last years excellent effort turned out to be a whole bunch of mediocrity, at best. Where was the Derek Carr of last year? What happened to the fearless nature of “Black Jack Del Rio’s” team we saw last year? The best thing the Raiders can do is forget this season happened. Luckily they have a football genius coming into town to take over the head coaching job.

DENVER BRONCOS

Another disappointing AFC team. An elite defense was made mediocre thanks to an abysmal offense. Of course, QB is the most important position in football, but teams can still get by with a viable QB under center as long as the defense is solid. Unfortunately, the Broncos QB’s couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat. Trevor Siemian? No. Brock Osweiler? No. Paxton Lynch? No.

 

*Questions or comments? Find me on Twitter @MLBfromNH*

*Feature picture credit goes to betlabssports.com*

The ESPN Article Tells Us Nothing

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The ESPN Article Tells Us Nothing

Via fox59.com

The ESPN article on the rift in New England is nothing new. The main Boston media and myself have been saying for weeks that there’s a rift. Belichick, Brady, and Kraft stand united because that’s what is best for the team. The only thing that matters right now is getting ready for the playoffs. Did Belichick want to keep Garoppolo? Yes. Did Kraft side with Brady? Yes. Brady is the franchise guy and the most important player in the sport. Robert Kraft spoke to Peter King and denied the ESPN report saying it was, “A total fabrication and fiction. I am telling you, it’s fiction”.

Jimmy Garoppolo Feels Betrayed by Patriots

Via FanastyPros

According to my source Jimmy Garoppolo feels betrayed by the Patriots, and also thinks Brady went to Kraft to have him traded. Kraft spoke about the trade to Peter King, saying,

“I assumed once the season started, we’d talk again at the end of the season about it. The next time I spoke with Bill about it was the Monday before the trade deadline. He called me on that Monday and said he got a deal with San Francisco for a second-round pick and quarterback Brian Hoyer. Turns out they had to cut Hoyer and then we got him. But really, this was basically a second-round pick and Brian Hoyer for Jimmy. Bill asked me if I was OK with this. I was really taken aback a little bit. I wanted to think about it I talked to Jonathan, who was okay with it, and I called Bill back and said, ‘OK’.”

Kraft would never admit Brady went to him to trade Jimmy.   We will never know if that happened. But if Jimmy thinks that, then something was going on behind the scenes. Also, Jimmy Garoppolo being denied access to the TB12 Center is a lie, according to team broadcaster Scott Zolak.

Belichick to the Giants? False (For Now)

Via NY Daily News

I also wrote that Belichick could coach the Giants. Not sure if he would next season but maybe in the near future. It wouldn’t surprise me. Kraft also denied the report telling Peter King he absolutely believes Belichick will be back in 2018. Adam Schefter also believes Belichick will be the coach in 2018. The main focus right now is getting ready for the playoffs.

2018 NFL Playoffs: NFC Preview

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The NFC is up for grabs going into Wild Card weekend. All six playoff teams are separated by only three games in the win column going into Saturday’s action. It is hard to predict which NFC team will find themselves present at Super Bowl 52. Competition will be tight with so much parity in the conference this season and injuries to top players such as Philadelphia QB Carson Wentz. Every team has qualities that can land them in Minnesota on February 4th and we’re discussing them all.

Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)

After going 11-2 through their first 13 games the Eagles lost their starting QB, and MVP hopeful, Carson Wentz. Back-up Nick Foles managed to keep Philadelphia on top of the NFC in their final three games. To continue their success they will need to take what is the most balanced team in the NFL and excel in specific areas. Foles will need to make throws. It seems obvious, but with a top-three run game by yardage, Foles will have chances to make big plays. If he can connect on a few of them they will have a chance to beat defenses such as Minnesota. On the other side of the ball they will need to produce turnovers to give Foles more opportunities to be good. The hope is that won’t be an issue as Philly has 19 interceptions on the season, good for fourth best in the league.

Everything seems to be looking up for the future of the Eagles. You don’t hear that everyday when discussing Philadelphia sports. They acquired the excuse for failure this postseason when Wentz went down, so they should be playing care-free. Wentz will look to continue the beginning of a promising career when he returns next fall regardless of this year’s results.

Minnesota Vikings (13-3)

There are two certainties in Minnesota this Winter. One is snow. The other is a suffocating defense. Assuming Minnesota keeps up their play on their number one defense, the questions remain with the offense. QB Case Keenum has had a career season in the absence of Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford. It has yet to be proven if he can perform in the playoffs with his newly found success. The true key to Minnesota’s playoff success is special teams. Close games are often decided by single digits and field goals. Kicker Kai Forbath has will need to be money. He has been inconsistent all year missing two kicks inside 40 yards and five PAT’s. If Forbath kicks well, then Minnesota should find themselves on the right side of close games.

Minnesota should be considered a favorite to make the Super Bowl. Their effective and young defense should have fans excited for the future. But there is a QB controversy to be addressed in the offseason and Keenum’s playoff performance could hold weight moving forward. Look for him to sink or swim these playoffs.

Los Angeles Rams (11-5)

The Rams are the most exciting team to enter the playoffs this season. They hold the league’s number one scoring offense and third best point differential. The 2017 Rams are the first team in NFL history to go from worst to first in league offense in only a year. The key to the Rams’ success has been, and will remain, their offensive line. They have been exceptional all year and if they continue to succeed so will Goff and Gurley. First-year coach Sean McVay will be able to dig into his bag of tricks for his high-flying offense if the O-line gives him the space. Gurley will be an MVP finalist this season and he will give any defense trouble this postseason. Don’t be surprised if McVay and company are in Minnesota come February 4th if their O-line holds strong.

There is little conflict or controversy in the foreseeable future for the Rams. They have improved immensely from last season. Whether the Rams find themselves in the Super Bowl or as a one-and-done This year has set the building blocks for the next great show to hit Los Angeles. The greatest show on turf should be excited for the future. Yet in the present the Rams are a threat to make the Super Bowl this year. That will remain the case if this cast stays together in the future.

New Orleans Saints

New Orleans’ playoff success relies on one man, Drew Brees. They aren’t here without him and it never hurts to have a future hall of famer on your team. Brees’ new favorite target, rookie Alvin Kamara, will surely play a huge role in the success of the Saints this Winter. With 13 total touch downs Kamara is a true red zone threat. Brees has always spread the ball throughout his career. This will not change in the playoffs even though Kamara has been amazing. Brees will have to score when he has the chance for the Saints to make the Super Bowl. New Orleans’ ability to score fast can be a curse and a blessing. Brees will need to manage the clock whenever possible to give his defense rest throughout the playoffs.

This is a very important playoff push for the Saints. ‘Who Dat’ nation is not foreign to the Super Bowl as it is often held there and Brees has one of his own. However, they also know the Saints can be inconsistent year to year and with Brees aging, there’s no telling how many more successful years he has left. It is important for them maximize this opportunity to get back to the big game this season.

Carolina Panthers (11-5)

Cam Newton will need to be a leader if Carolina wants to succeed in the playoffs. I’m not referring to his questionable sense of fashion or troubles with the media. I’m specifically talking about on-field leadership. His mood and performance on the field fuels the offense and when Newton is rattled, so is the rest of the team. That means Newton needs to keep and even-keel composure throughout the playoffs and not be afraid to use assets such as rookie running back Christian McCaffery. Furthermore, if Ron Rivera and the coaching staff can appropriately manage the play calling and player usage then Carolina can make a run.

Coming off a difficult 2016 season Ron Rivera’s seat immediately warmed up entering this year. Making the playoffs gives Rivera a sigh of relief, but not certainty. A playoff run is imperative to Rivera’s future job security as it concerns the Panthers. The Panthers unfortunately are weak compared to their NFC competition and is likely to fold prior to the conference championship.

Atlanta Falcons (10-6)

Atlanta has been a totally different team despite bringing back most of their roster from last year. The Super Bowl loss hangover has seemed to take its toll on the Falcons this year. They have the talent to make a legitimate run this postseason. That talent just needs to step up. Matt Ryan has had a lack-luster season coming off an MVP performance in 2016. Most important to Atlanta’s success will be their role players on offense. Atlanta is most successful when players such as Sanu are able to play a big role in the offense. Look for him to have a big postseason if the Falcons advance.

Despite their low seed Atlanta has high playoff expectations. They are the most experienced NFC roster following their success last year and should use that to their advantage. This year’s outcome shouldn’t change Atlanta’s future plans. They will most likely continue with their core and be back in the playoff discussion next season.

Sources

Featured photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
Nick Foles photo via phillymag.com
Todd Gurley photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images
Stats by pro-football-reference.com

2018 NFL Playoffs: AFC Preview

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When the NFL playoffs kick off on January 6th each team will battle to book a ticket to Super Bowl 52. Although everyone has the same goal in mind, not every team is created equally. Let’s take a look at the AFC playoff team’s keys to success and realistic expectations in this year’s playoffs.

New England Patriots (13-3)

Bill Belichick and Tom Brady once again sit atop the AFC ensuring all roads go through New England. Health has proved to be a big issue for the Patriots, especially in their linebacking core. New England has become prone to giving up big chunks of yards on outside runs going back to their bye week. Since the bye week, the Pats have only held one playoff team to under 100 yards rushing. That was in Week 16, a contest that saw LeSean McCoy leave with an injury. If the Patriots can limit the run and keep Brady and the offense on the field then they will continue their historic dominance. Brady must also limit interceptions. It’s fair to say Brady’s short-comings towards the end of the year were over stated, but he’ll need to make better decisions in the playoffs. If the Patriots play perfect football there isn’t a team in the league that can dethrone them. If New England can avoid beating themselves then they should find themselves in Minnesota come February.

New England should be considered the team to beat for this year’s Super Bowl. However, without a succession plan for Brady in place and his play diminishing over the last half of the season, the Patriots may soon be in limbo. Every Super Bowl may be Brady’s last at this point so they must take advantage of the lack of talent in the AFC now while they remain the top dog.

Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)

In Week 15, Pittsburgh showcased two realities. One in which they could temper the Patriots offense and cause issues with man coverage. The other is that even with their best effort they still find themselves playing little brother to Bill and Brady. Before they face off against New England again, barring a Patriots meltdown, Pittsburgh will need to be healthy.

With Antonio Brown injured, the Steelers’ receiving core looks pretty pedestrian. If Brown is healthy then the Killer B’s have the capability of going to Big Ben’s third Super Bowl. If they find themselves there and get healthy, they have the offense to keep up with anyone in the NFL. Their biggest question will remain whether their defense can make a big stop.

With Ben Roethlisberger’s health deteriorating every year, it is unclear when he will call it quits. When the day comes, a new regime will take over in Pittsburgh and their may be tough times. Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin will surely look to get the monkey off their back that is the Patriots prior to their departure. This may be the best year to do so with an exposed New England defense and injuries on both sides of the ball. Pittsburgh fans should accept nothing less than a conference championship game after this regular season.

Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)

If the Jaguars want to succeed this post-season they will need to do so behind their ferocious defensive front. The Jaguars house four pro-bowlers on their roster, all of which can be found on defense. If DE Calais Campbell and DT Malik Johnson can continue to terrorize opposing quarterbacks it’s possible the Jaguars can make some noise out of the three seed. Bortles will also need to limit mistakes in the opportunities his defense gives him. The fewer interceptions Bortles produces, the higher the likelihood Jaguars make it to the Super Bowl.

A team like Jacksonville carries a disappointing stigma for being a mediocre organization. Winning a playoff game or two would set a standard for the future of the Jaguars. With such a young roster, the Jags will gain experience regardless of their final outcome. In Jacksonville’s first playoff appearance in 10 years, expectations are low. But with their talent the team has a chance to make great strides going forward.

Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)

Kansas City has all the talent necessary to reach the Super Bowl. It is a similar roster to the one that won their division last year. Similarly to last year, the Chief’s success will rely on a few individual performances. Alex Smith will need to be as efficient as he was when defeating New England all the way back in week one. Beyond that, Travis Kelce will need to be a force in the red zone and avoid personal fouls. And finally, Andy Reid must defeat that dreaded game clock that has bested him so often in the past.

This is an important off-season for the Chiefs. Andy Reid’s team has been inconsistent at best in recent years. He may soon find himself on the chopping block if the Chiefs once again go one-and-done these playoffs. Expect them to get to New England, but don’t expect them leave with a win.

Tennessee Titans (9-7)

Tennessee has been unable to score 25-plus points since the month of September. If that stat didn’t kill the Titan’s playoff hopes in the regular season, then recent news certainly has. DeMarco Murray will likely be inactive for their Wild Card game on Saturday. The saying ‘any given Sunday’ is not foreign to me. I know its unfair to rule out a team before they even play. Tennessee would need to play out of their mind to win. With an average defense and Marcus Mariota’s 13-15 TD-INT ratio, Derrick Henry will need to be uber-effective in Murray’s absence. Mariota will also have to be better than he has been all season if they want to win a game.

The big news circulating Tennessee is Mike Mularkey’s future with the team. Should they win Saturday, Mularkey will certainly return for another year. If they do fall to Kansas City, though, it is reported that Mularkey’s job will be in jeopardy. In the case of a loss, potential head coaching candidates will likely determine Mularkey’s future.

Buffalo Bills (9-7)

After 17 long, cold, unforgiving seasons Buffalo faithful finally returns to the postseason. If they want this magical season to continue they will need some help. Most importantly, RB LeSean McCoy will need to be healthy. Tyrod Taylor has proven to be a capable game manager, but his abilities lack those of a great quarterback. Buffalo’s defensive front will need to get to the quarterback and force Bortles to make mistakes if they want to make it out of wild card weekend. If the Bills can pressure quarterbacks during the playoffs they can succeed. Even if Taylor plays his best football, it all boils down to McCoy in the end. The only way Buffalo takes down he Jaguars will be if Shady is at his best.

By making the playoffs, Buffalo may already consider this season a success. This may have secured head coach Sean McDermott’s job for another year, but the Bills have a long way to go. The Bills will be able to use any experience and success they get from this unlikely playoff run in the future. For now Buffalo should just enjoy the moment and hope for miracles to happen.

Sources

Featured picture by Associated Press/Times Free Press
Statistics by pro-football-reference.com

Robert Kraft Only Thinking About the Present?

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Robert Kraft Stepped In

Robert Kraft stepped in and traded Jimmy Garoppolo this season. Going into 2018 Garoppolo is now 7-0 as a starter in the NFL. In the five games with the 49ers Garoppolo passed for 1,560 yards with seven touchdowns. Garoppolo has proven that he is a legit NFL quarterback in the NFL. Meanwhile in New England the Patriots have 40-year-old Tom Brady, who really has not been playing well. He threw an interception against the Steelers for the first time since 2005. It’s clear Bob Kraft wanted to move on from Garoppolo and keep Brady who is bigger than the team. Brady is the franchise and so is Belichick, but did Kraft hurt the future of the franchise?

A Look into the Future

Patriots life

Let’s fast forward five years from now. Will Garoppolo be a Patriot again? Or will the 49ers still have a stud franchise quarterback? Will the Patriots be back at 6-10? Or will the Patriots draft a good quarterback and groom him to be the next guy? There are so many questions. Whether or not Belichick now has to draft a quarterback despite having a perfect heir in Garoppolo.

Garoppolo Is a Legit NFL Quarterback

The audio of Garoppolo calmly leading his team to a comeback win a few weeks ago was scary good. He sounded like Brady, as he took what he learned in Foxborough and took it with him to the 49ers. John Lynch wrote on the team’s website:

“We want Jimmy to be a Niner for a long time. That process is going to take place here. We’re eager to get that done, to have the opportunity. But, I think one thing that we really believe is that those things should take place between us and his representatives and not occur and transpire in the public. That’s the way we’re going to treat that. You have our assurances, and the fans do, that we’d like nothing more than to make him a Niner for a long, long time.”

We’ll see what happens, but it’s clear Belichick wanted to keep Garoppolo. However nobody was going to let him trade away the greatest quarterback of all time.

 

 

How the Bills Can Cause an Upset in the Wild Card

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The NFL is full of surprises around every corner. Nothing can be truly expected as the season progresses. The Raiders were predicted to make a deep playoff run, and they fell flat on their faces instead. Carson Wentz was prophesied to be this season’s MVP, and an ACL tear ruined those hopes for this year. More recently, the Baltimore Ravens were slated to make the playoffs. All they had to do was beat the seemingly uninspired Bengals and they would secure a playoff berth in Week 17. But the NFL can be a wicked mistress. The final offensive drive for the Bengals just so happened to be the dagger to secure a late win. The Ravens got knocked out the playoffs after their disappointing loss, and the Buffalo Bills were inserted in their place.

In Week 17 the biggest fans of the Bengals were the Bills. They had just secured a win in Miami, and awaited the conclusion of the game going on in Cincinnati. They did their part to get into the playoffs; the rest fell in the Bengals’ hands. The Bengals were eliminated weeks ago, but like they did with the Lions the week before, they aimed to crush the Ravens’ playoff hopes. A late touchdown from the Bengals sent the Ravens home early, and ushered the Bills into the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

The Bills don’t want to just make a playoff appearance, they want to win a playoff match-up. That’s something the team hasn’t done since 1995. Their odds to make Super Bowl 52 has gotten a lot better from December to now. This Saturday the Bills will play their first game in January in over a decade in Jacksonville, home of the also playoff-starved Jaguars. Here’s how the Bills can upset the best defense and third seed this weekend:

Strike Early, Strike Often

The only way for the Bills to dismantle the Jaguars defense will be through running an up-tempo offense. On all cylinders the offense has to be no less than perfect. Tyrod Taylor needs to do what he does best: keep the defense guessing. He needs the green light to roll out of the pocket as much as he can. Taylor is a huge threat when he leaves the pocket. He can pull linebackers out of the play to become fixated on him and can fire over his head to a receiver left open on a drag route. If the linebacker plays back on the receiver, Tyrod can tuck the ball and punish the defense with a run. Extend the drive and tire out the defense, and in turn pressure Blake Bortles with less time to answer.

This game will come down to which team can cause a defensive breakdown. Both the Bills and Jaguars are defensively minded teams, so scoring early will set the tone of the game. Expect this game to be a low-scoring affair, so the Bills can capitalize by catching the opposing defense off guard early.

It’s Always Shady in Buffalo

There’s no question that the Bills would not be the same on offensive without their workhorse running back. Shady McCoy is a difference-maker in the Bills’ offense, and could make a splash against the Jags. McCoy is making progress with coming back early from an ankle injury he suffered in Week 17. Dr. David Chao claims McCoy can play through his injury, but worries about his production level:

If LeSean McCoy is active this week, it will be a huge plus for the Bills to have him in the backfield. It not only opens up room for Tyrod Taylor to operate, but it alleviates the need for the Bills to use their 23rd-ranked air attack. On the other end of the field, the Jaguars may be 1st in pass defense, but are 26th in stopping the run. McCoy is the team’s leading rusher at 1,138 yards. He is also Tyrod Taylor’s favorite passing target. If LeSean McCoy plays on Sunday, the Bills’ chances to trounce the Jaguars’ playoff run early increases.

Stop the Run

On defense, the Bills have to run rampant on Blake Bortles and the Jaguars. If the big guys up front can keep Leonard Fournette from having his usual productive game, then the Jags’ offense will waiver. The one thing that the Jaguars’ offense cannot afford is to become one-dimensional. Blake Bortles has not proven to be clutch whatsoever. He is one of the most important cogs of the offense, but is also one of the most inconsistent.

If the Bills can keep the ball is his hands and force Bortles to throw, they will be in great shape. Their secondary of Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer, E.J. Gaines, and Micah Hyde is a scary ball-hawking group. Bortles can get into some trouble against this group, and if he throws a few interceptions that only helps the Bills gain advantage. Against the Bills’ back line throw across the middle if you dare, and throw deep if you can.

 

Media Credit:

www.sportingnews.com

www.buffalorumblings.com

Uncovering Patriots Weaknesses

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.

Matt Patricia, Josh McDaniels Are Going Nowhere

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Let the Rumors of the Coordinators Leaving Begin

Via nj.com

The Patriots are once again in the playoffs. Matt Patricia and Josh McDaniels are in rumors of head coaching jobs around the league. Josh McDaniels said this week, “My focus here when I come into this building will always be on what’s best for the Patriots. Trying to do what I can to help us prepare to play our best game the next time we go out on the field”. Patricia also is only focused on the Patriots, saying, “I have no idea about any of that. None of that is even really applicable for me right now because I don’t have any information on that. I’m in normal mode”.

Will Belichick Leave or Retire After This Season?

Via NBC Sports

It’s been reported the Giants have asked permission to talk to McDaniels and Patricia. Many other teams but I have a different theory. Bill Belichick is 65 and wanted to keep Jimmy Garoppolo, when Robert Kraft stepped in and sided with Brady. What if after the Patriots win their sixth Super Bowl Belichick either retires or just leaves? Imagine if he left the Patriots to coach the Giants, where he started his career as a coach. It sounds far-fetched but it’s an interesting theory. Patricia becomes the head coach of the Patriots next season and McDaniels is the offensive coordinator for next year as well. Until Brady retires after next season, Garoppolo comes back maybe after getting some playing time in San Francisco.

By Keeping Brady the Patriots Aren’t Planning for the Future

Via UMass Blogs

Now if Garoppolo doesn’t come back, the Patriots are screwed at quarterback. They will have to find a decent replacement for the greatest of all time. Patricia and McDaniels have been around the Patriots for a long time and know how the team works. McDaniels has tried head coaching jobs in the past but they haven’t worked out. Patricia has never held a head coaching job and I really don’t think he would go anywhere besides New England.

James Harrison: The Savior of The Pats’ Defense

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There are lots of cliches that could be used in this article, but “if you can’t beat them, then join them” could top the list.  It’s just a small part of the story which brought James Harrison to the Patriots.  The clown show that runs the Steelers thought that Harrison was done.  Pittsburgh thought his best days were long gone, but as we saw Sunday, wrong again Steelers.  Let me tell you why I feel that Harrison could become the savior of the beaten up Pats’ defense.

Via The Big Lead

Some Players Just Want To Win

The fact that James Harrison was cut by the Steelers seemed like a strange development to me.  Harrison terrified me when the Patriots played the Steelers.  The Steelers told the media that Harrison would not contribute much and they didn’t plan to play him.  Unless they live under a rock, they would see that Harrison is a workout monster.  His workouts include a game of volleyball using medicine balls.   Just picture that for a minute.  The Steelers also declared Harrison as too old and did not fit their schemes anymore. As you can see in the photo above, age does not matter if you are great.  Harrison evidently has a sense of humor as well. The picture above on his Instagram was followed with “finally a teammate older then me.”

Harrison wants to win and wants to play where he can contribute.  Watching Harrison on Sunday, he wants to win and hasn’t lost too many steps at all.  In limited playing time Sunday against the Jets, Harrison recorded five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.  Does that sound like a player that has lost anything or does not want to play anymore?  Imagine when Harrison  learns the defense and his teammates better.  Be afraid, be very afraid.

 

Harrison  — The Piece The Pats D Has Lacked

Every team in the NFL has injuries.  Not exactly a newsflash there.  The Patriots have certainly had their fair share, if not more then a few other teams.  Already missing some key defensive players like Hightower made the Pats’ D vulnerable. James Harrison will give us a solid and sustained pass rush which has been an issue for the Pats.  Other then Trey Flowers and blitzing occasionally, the Pats have not posed a threat to the opposition’s QB.  Sunday could mark the turning point for this dilemma the D has faced all season.  James Harrison, inserted after minimal practice,  looks like the scary monster of the past.  He looks like the defensive savior we have needed this season.

The opponents of the Patriots now have consider potential pass rushes from both sides.  Flowers on one side and Harrison on the other is not an easy puzzle for any team to solve.  I think James Harrison may have just saved the Patriots in the one true area of vulnerability.  Our pass rush issues did not seem like much of a problem on Sunday.  Granted, we played the the Jets, but I do not think it would have mattered a great deal who it would have been.

 

Could Harrison Be ‘The Guy’?

It is a lot to ask for one player, but in his own way he joins the roster in the nick of time.  Isn’t it the Patriot Way to take players with something to prove and give them a platform to do it?  Harrison joins the likes of Randy Moss, Rodney Harrison and others players that have found a new home in Foxboro.  It is hard to believe after watching Sunday that Harrison will do anything but get better.

I would like to formally thank the Pittsburgh Steelers for allowing us to have James Harrison.  Once the Steelers find their way to winter vacations before the Super Bowl, they will realize that this was a stupid move on their part.  James, we are so glad to have you and look forward to you looking Goodell in the eyes in February.  I am sure that Goodell will just love handing you the Lombardi trophy and we will love seeing you hoist it as our savior.