Tag Archives: Tom Brady

Super Bowl LII Preview and Prediction

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Super Bowl LII

After all that developed during the 2017-2018 season, it will conclude with the two top-seeded teams squaring off in U.S. Bank Stadium. Fans and media have huddled around the drama, adversity and success (or lack thereof), of each NFL franchise since August. This year’s playoffs featured twelve teams which all had the potential to have their ticket to the Super Bowl punched. The Bills made their first playoff appearance in decades. Chiefs fans left Arrowhead Stadium disappointed after the Titans pulled off a comeback upset in the Wild Card. The Saints were one play away from advancing to the NFC Championship, until the Minneapolis Miracle happened. The postseason has been filled with surprises and highlights, but in the end, there can only be one victor.

On February 4th, the New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles, will battle to make history. All thirty-two teams in the NFL share a common goal: to win the Super Bowl. Every franchise grinds from August to January to earn a spot in the playoffs. The twenty that fail to make it plan accordingly to ensure that they will be present in January next season. The Super Bowl is the mecca of the football world, where sports and entertainment collide. Numbers, statistics and odds circle around the media in the two week break between the Championship games and the Super Bowl. This guide contains for betting on an array of props in the Super Bowl, ranging from points scored to the color of Gatorade poured on the winning coach.

Super Bowl LII- Patriots vs. Eagles: Three Things to Know

1. Experience is Key

Nick Foles will be making his first Super Bowl appearance, to add to his four postseason starts, in his six year career. Though impressive, it is a ninth of Tom Brady’s thirty-six starts in the playoffs. This will be Brady’s eighth Super Bowl appearance in his career, he has only lost in two of them. Coincidentally, the last time the Eagles appeared in the Super Bowl was in 2004, and they lost to none other than Tom Brady and the Pats. Fast forward fourteen years, both teams are completely different except for Bill Belichick and Tom Brady leading New England.

Brady and Belichick might have the upper edge with Super Bowl experience, but they have not faced the Eagles since 2015. Head coach, Doug Pederson, is a crafty play caller and defensive coordinator. Jim Schwartz coaches a young and hungry defense, that leads the league in defensive scoring. Nick Foles might be rattled in his first few drives in a Super Bowl environment, but the Eagles’ planning prior to kickoff could cause a few surprises.

2. Offensive Maestros

Nick Foles unexpectedly became a starter for the Eagles late into the season, after Carson Wentz suffered an ACL injury. He started out rusty the first few games, but was able to pull out a win in each of his starts, except for one. Foles is a talented veteran, and a scary backup, to have on a team. He picked up right where Wentz left off, with little turbulence.

Carson Wentz might have locked up the first seed in the playoffs for the Eagles, but it’s no fluke that Foles has gotten the team to the Super Bowl. In the NFC Championship, Foles tore apart the Vikings’ stingy defense. He posted 352 passing yards, and three touchdowns, in a blowout victory. The Eagles’ running back trio of Jay Ajayi, LaGarrette Blount, and Corey Clement, are all great weapons for Foles to utilize in the backfield as well. The Eagles’ boast a stacked receiving corp as well. Wrapping up the offense, Lane Johnson and his o-line, are one of the best in the league.

The opposing offense is extremely resilient. The Patriots are missing multiple starters to injury, but still cannot seem to lose. Dion Lewis is having a career year at the team’s primary running back position. Rob Gronkowski, whose availability is up in the air at the moment, can be a spark to the offense on every drive. Both Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola, are posting career numbers in the playoffs. Amendola has been a key receiver in the playoffs, and came in clutch on Sunday against the Jaguars.

However, only one team has Tom Brady. He has mounted a whopping eight postseason comebacks, upon a plethora more in the regular season. He completed an MVP-worthy season, without one of his best receivers, and an occasionally faulty offensive line. Only Brady could make a season like this look like a clinic.

3. Protect the Throne

Coming into this year, almost everyone expected the Patriots to make a deep playoff run. No one held the Eagles to the same standard. The Eagles are hungry for a Super Bowl trophy. Despite losing their starting quarterback, they came out swinging in every playoff match-up. They are not scared of Tom Brady, or the Patriots, but rather they are excited to dethrone them:

The Eagles want nothing more than to have a repeat of the beat-down they gave to the Vikings. Though they are the one seed in the NFC, they were written off in the Divisional Round. The Eagles embraced their underdog role, and played their hearts out throughout the playoffs. Now in the Super Bowl, the odds are against them once again. This time, however, they will battle one of the most methodical teams in the NFL. The Patriots are elite because of the preparation they put into each game. Their game-plan changes depending on what team they face. They have two weeks to study film, and see how the Eagles play. Bill Belichick is amazing at pointing out teams’ weaknesses, so it is safe to say the Patriots will be ready. We’ll all have to see how this match-up fares out on Super Bowl Sunday.

Prediction: 33-24 Patriots

 

Cover image courtesy of PennLive.com.

New England’s Unsung Defensive Heroes

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It is ridiculous to think that the New England Patriots are headed to another Super Bowl. Tom Brady has been an NFL starter for sixteen seasons and will be under center for his eighth Super Bowl. At this point only the mentally challenged debate the GOAT argument.

But Brady will be the first one to tell you he didn’t get here alone. In the ultimate team sport, he is the ultimate team guy. In that light, we should take some time to recognize the guys not getting the attention they deserve for what they’ve done this post-season.

Stephon Gilmore

It was a hard adjustment for Gilmore in New England. No question at all, he struggled in the first half of the season. Unlike his Bills teammate Mike Gillislee, Gilmore made the necessary adjustments, learned the system, and blossomed into everything for which we could have hoped.

If the Patriots go on to win their sixth Lombardi, Gilmore’s pass defense on fourth and fourteen will go down as one of the greatest defensive plays in Patriots history. It was game saving. Westbrook would have walked into the end zone if Gilmore missed.

Photo Credit: SI

But Gilmore has contributed much more than that single play. He was literally perfect in the divisional round game against Tennessee. He didn’t allow a single catch in four targets.

Malcolm Brown

Whatever happened to Leonard Fournette and the Jaguars ground game that led the league in rushing? Malcolm Brown happened. The third year tackle out of Texas has become the run-stuffer we’ve needed since Big Vince left for Houston.

Credit: NBC Sports

Brown has led a front four that has shut down Fournette, Derrick Henry, and contained two run-threat QBs in these playoffs. He’s done it without the help of Alan Branch or Dont’a Hightower. For New England to beat Philadelphia, we will need another huge game from the big man in the trenches.

James Harrison

After missing three weeks with an injury down the stretch, Kyle Van Noy returned to form against the Jags (nine tackles, one sack, one forced fumble). But his impressive stat line shouldn’t take away from the contributions of Harrison. Too old and slow to get on the field in Pittsburgh (good call Tomlin), Harrison has been a key contributor since arriving in New England. His Week 17 introduction (five tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble) against the Jets gave us a glimpse of what he might have left in the tank. The way he set the edge against Tennessee kept Mariota in the pocket and forced the run right into the big guys in the middle.

Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images via USAToday

Harrison was equally effective Sunday against Jags – containing the edge, swarming to the ball, and applying pressure on Bortles. It was Harrison who busted around the left edge to get to Bortles first as Van Noy hit him from the center for the key nine yard sack on second down taking us to the two-minute warning. Two plays later Gilmore sealed the game.

Great Defensive Schemes Wins Championships

There is a symbiotic relationship between offense and defense in football. Rarely can you win with only one championship caliber squad. Even in the years that the Pats won with marginal defenses, they were always great situationally, stellar in the red zone, and usually among the league leaders in turn-overs.

This year’s defense is not the ’85 Bears. But, they don’t have to be. All they have to do is continue to make key stops and keep the game close. The defensive adjustments the Pats made at halftime Sunday were every bit as important as Tom Brady to the win. Taking away the run and preventing Jacksonville from running out the clock. Applying pressure on Bortles late in the game. Great play after great play by an unheralded but truly elite secondary. These are the reasons New England even had a chance to win at the end.

These are also the reasons why Matt Patricia should be the runaway choice for the Associated Press’ NFL Assistant Coach of the Year. When Matty P moves on to coach the Lions, the next Patriots defensive coordinator will have big shoes to fill.

 

Is a Brady-Garoppolo Super Bowl in the Forecast?

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JIMMY G TRADED TO SAN FRAN

In October of 2017, the Patriots traded away QB Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers for a 2018 second round pick. Prior to the transaction, Jimmy G was presumably New England’s QB of the future, as Tom Brady is nearing the end of his career. For this reason, many New England fans were troubled by the move. However, as I like to say “In Bill We Trust”. In other words, I personally did not question the move because as history shows, never question Belichick’s actions because he is always right.

49ERS PRIOR TO ACQUIRING GAROPPOLO

Image result for 49ers loss

ninernoise.com

Since a brief run of being an elite team from 2011-2013, the 49ers have been one of the worst teams in the NFL. They have gone just 13-35 over the past three seasons. The offseason acquisition of former Falcons’ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan was a step in the right direction however the roster still lacked talent and experience on both sides of the ball. The first half of the season was evident that the Shanahan signing was not quite enough as San Fran started the season 0-9. Prior to starting Jimmy G, they were 1-10. During that span they allowed twenty-six points per game while only scoring seventeen. Luckily for San Fran, a savior was sent over from New England.

JIMMY G UNDER CENTER FOR SAN FRAN

Image result for jimmy g 49ers win

mercurynews.com

The Niners were an entirely different team once Jimmy G took over at QB. For starters, they went 5-0. The most remarkable wins came in the final two games of the season. In Week 16 they took down the Jaguars while scoring forty-four points on possibly the league’s best defense. Then the following week they stormed into LA and beat the Rams 34-13. Granted, the Rams were resting some players but it was still a very impressive road win. During the five-game win streak the Niners scored 28.8 points per game. That total was just one point less than the league-leading mark set by the Rams. Also, the efficiency of the offense vastly improved the play of the defense. During Jimmy G’s starts they allowed a respectable 19.8 points which was six less than they allowed through the first twelve weeks.

TB12 VS JIMMY G SUPER BOWL?

For 2018 it may be a stretch due for this to happen due to the strength of the NFC. However it is certainly not out of the question. Though it was a short period of time, San Fran played exceptional with Garoppolo at QB. They played well enough to make me question what the ceiling for this team really is. They have some solid weapons on offense with Carlos Hyde, Marquise Goodwin, and Matt Breida. If they manage to make a few key moves on defense then this team could become legit as soon as next season. In all likelihood, it probably will not happen in 2018, but with other NFC teams getting older a Brady vs Garoppolo Superbowl could certainly happen. Such an event would certainly be all a New England fan could ask for.

 

 

*Questions or comments? Find me on Twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)*

*Feature picture credit goes to WEEI.com*

Relax, Tom Brady Will Be Fine

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BRADY WILL BE READY TO GO SUNDAY

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

THE PATRIOTS WILL BE FINE AND SO WILL BRADY

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

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

ROOT FOR THE PATRIOTS

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

Pittsburgh Steelers: Rest In Peace

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I have a confession to make. I take joy in other people’s pain. I’m not particularly proud of the fact, but I don’t think I’m alone.

I love that Roger Goodell’s NFL is dying in the ratings. The 2017-18 regular season marked the second consecutive significant decline. Last week’s divisional playoffs were down eleven percent nationally. Good.

And I love that ESPN continues to be a dumpster fire. From tanking ratings, to widespread sexual harassment by on-air personalities, and President Jon Skipper resigning over substance abuse issues, I have enjoyed every minute of their demise. I hope everyone on that network has to dive through Taco Bell dumpsters just to feed their families. Ok, maybe that was too much. I hope their families leave them before that happens.

But, as much as I hate Goodell and his mouthpieces in Bristol, I hate our enemies on the field even more. That’s why I’m taking almost obscene pleasure in the current state of affairs in Pittsburgh. You know, the team we were destined to play in the AFC Championship game this weekend.

The Symptoms of Disaster

How on earth did the Pittsburgh Steelers lose a home playoff game to the Jacksonville Jaguars? The answer is simple: they are not the New England Patriots. Pittsburgh is loaded with talent, yes. But, they are poorly coached, undisciplined, and childish. They are the anti-Patriots.

From the final whistle of their annual loss to New England in Week 15, Steelers players, coaches, and fans spent the better part of a month talking about their inevitable rematch in the AFC Championship Game. Hell, even a month before that December game, Mike Tomlin predicted the match-up in a ridiculous interview with NBC’s Tony Dungy.

But after Week 15 the chorus from the Tin City – sorry, steel is hard, you’re not – was loud and confident. Not only were they going to play the Pats in the AFC Championship game, they were going to win. They were the better team. According to Safety Mike Mitchell, it didn’t matter if the game were in hell, Haiti, or Foxborough.

The problem is, of course, that Pittsburgh has all the swagger and none of the game. New England was so in their heads that they forgot the cardinal rule of the NFL – on any given Sunday, anyone can beat you. Bill Belichick’s Patriots would never look past an opponent, certainly not in the playoffs.

Other symptoms of Pittsburgh’s season-long lack of discipline and focus include:

  • Le’Veon Bell threatening to retire in the off-season if the Steelers franchise tag him rather than sign him to a long-term deal.
  • Offensive coordinator Todd Haley shattering his pelvis after being involved in a “situation” outside a Pittsburgh bar that he and his wife had just been thrown out of.
  • Ben Roethlisberger throwing every possible coach under the bus all season long when things didn’t go their way.

The Wrong Overreaction

Pittsburgh’s response to their division-round loss to Jacksonville was typical of many bad franchises. They drew the wrong lessons and overreacted.

Rather than listen to the finally rising chorus calling from Tomlin’s ouster, they fired offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Okay, technically he wasn’t fired, they just didn’t renew his contract. But, he was fired. So, the team that put up 42 points against the Jags didn’t have enough offense? Interesting assessment.

Haley had been the offensive coordinator since 2012, and in the last four seasons had guided the Steelers to no worse than the 7th best offense in the league.  This season, Pittsburgh finished as the third best offense behind only (you guessed it) the Patriots and the Saints. Offense isn’t Pittsburgh’s problem. Leadership and culture are.

As if to double down on their poor decision, Tomlin not only didn’t get rid of anyone on the defensive side of the coaching tree, he gave them a vote of confidence. This, of course, is a group that allowed Blake Bortles to hang 38 points on them.

As commonplace as it’s become for idiots like the CHB to claim New England plays in a division full of tomato cans, it’s ridiculous how Pittsburgh gets a pass for the quality of the AFC North. Tomlin is an awful coach. His teams have simply benefited from playing Cleveland and Cincinnati twice a year – who unlike Miami and Buffalo have neither a defense nor an offense.

Poor management of undisciplined and unfocused players is a recipe for disaster in the NFL. As Patriots fans, we should be thankful that the Pittsburgh Steelers are too dumb to recognize their flaws.

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.

 

 

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.

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.

Apocalypse Now?

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Following New England’s Super Bowl XXXIX victory over Philadelphia, Bill Belichick memorably embraced Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel, his offensive and defensive coordinators. Both men were off to head coaching positions – Weis to Notre Dame and Crennel to the Cleveland Browns. Both were great coordinators and ultimately awful head coaches.

Image source: Boston.com

Today, as the Patriots prepare for a run at a historic sixth Lombardi Trophy, they again face the same prospect. Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia are both likely to receive one or more head coaching offers. Linebackers coach Brian Flores is also being considered for the Cardinals defensive coordinator position. (SBNation)

Closing Window of Opportunity

Even with Brady in his prime, it took New England ten years to win a Super Bowl after Weis and Crennel left. Brady doesn’t have ten years left. If his avocado ice cream and magic $200 jammies keep him healthy, he has maybe three high-quality seasons in him. And, after trading Jimmy G, we have no heir to the throne.

This is a flawed team. They can’t pressure the quarterback on defense and can’t protect our own on offense. The weakness of the defensive line forces the secondary to cover receivers for five to seven seconds on every passing play. Nobody can consistently do that. That’s why players as talented as Gilmore and Butler end up conceding monster yards almost every game. Make no mistake, the Pats secondary is one of the best in the league. They’re just asked to do the impossible every week.

The struggles of the OL have been obvious for a couple of years. They manifest themselves in sacks, hurries, hits, and poor QB decisions resulting from a desire to get rid of the ball. It is not a coincidence that Brady struggled down the stretch against Miami, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo – all teams who can bring pressure without blitzing. Brady was sacked 35 times this year, which is almost double last year’s rate (15 in 12 games).

Brady has been as good as anyone could ask in what should be his third MVP campaign. In addition to leading the league in yards and throwing 32 TDs against 8 INTs, he and Alex Smith are the only quarterbacks this year with a passer rating over 100 who’ve been sacked more than 28 times (pro-football-reference). We couldn’t ask for more from Tom. And we can’t expect more in the future.

Win Now

Despite their flaws and how poorly they’ve played down the stretch, this team is New England’s best chance at a sixth Lombardi for years to come. There is enough talent on this roster that the Pats should find themselves playing in Minneapolis on February fourth. Having the bye-week and home field advantage only help that cause.

The return of Hogan, White, Burkhead, and Mitchell will give Brady the options he’s lacked for a month. Those options will provide the over the middle safety net Brady needs to compensate for a weak line.

Image Source: Pro Football Rumors

The addition of James Harrison (5 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble on 28 snaps this week) and the return of Kyle Van Noy (and hopefully Alan Branch) will certainly improve the front end of the defense. Branch’s presence should improve the run defense and free up linebackers to pressure the quarterback or help in coverage. Van Noy should return fully healthy from his Week 13 calf injury.

With an improved front seven finally helping the secondary on defense and more options on offense to mitigate the weakness of the line, this year’s Patriots should be legitimate contenders for their sixth Lombardi. They need to take this opportunity, because history tells us that in losing both McDaniels and Patricia, the next one might be a long time in coming.

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.