NFL morning after: Brady and Belichick seeking their fourth ring
Posted by Michael David Smith on November 24, 2014, 6:13 AM EST
The Patriots are the best team in the NFL, and Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are 10 weeks away from earning their fourth Super Bowl rings.
That’s what I was thinking as I watched the 34-9 beatdown the Patriots put up on a previously pretty good Lions team on Sunday. This New England team has the best offense in the NFL, an offense that, for the last seven games, hasn’t been far off from the insanely great offense of the 16-0 Patriots team in 2007.
Seven games. That’s how many the Patriots have played since that ugly meltdown against the Chiefs, the 41-14 loss in Kansas City that had people claiming Tom Brady was washed up and the New England dynasty was done. Here’s all the Patriots have done in the seven games since then:
– For starters, they’ve won seven straight games. That alone is remarkable in this NFL season, when it seems like every other week the team that we’re sure is on top of the league gets knocked off its perch. No other team is currently on a win streak of more than three games. Seven in a row in today’s NFL is extraordinarily hard to do.
– And they’re not just winning. They’re dominating. Six of the Patriots’ seven wins during their current streak are by margins of 15 points or more. The Patriots have outscored their opponents by a total score of 277-137. That’s an average score of 40-20. A three-touchdown victory is the norm.
– Tom Brady has multiple touchdown passes in each of the last seven games. He’s thrown 22 scores and only four interceptions during this winning streak.
– Rob Gronkowski has gotten back to being Gronk, which means he’s emerged as a matchup nightmare, just like he always is when he’s actually healthy enough to play like himself. But perhaps more importantly, Brady has been spreading the ball around to a whole lot of different receivers. Those 22 touchdown passes in the last seven games include six to Gronk, six to Timothy Wright, four to Brandon LaFell, three to Shane Vereen, one to Danny Amendola, one to Brian Tyms and one to Julian Edelman.
– The Patriots can run the ball any way they want. LeGarrette Blount was signed last week, had a couple days of practice, and carried 12 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions yesterday. That came a week after newcomer Jonas Gray ran for 201 yards and four touchdowns in a win over the Colts. When the Patriots started this streak, it was Stevan Ridley who had 113 rushing yards in a win over the Bengals. Shane Vereen has also taken a couple turns as the Patriots’ top rusher.
The Patriots’ defense isn’t great, but it’s good enough, and I wouldn’t bet against Belichick having his defense playing its best football in January. Belichick is just so good at what he does. If he wins his fourth Super Bowl ring, there will be a case that he’s the best coach in NFL history. And in turning this team around like he has over the last seven weeks, Belichick may be doing his best coaching job yet.
New England was the best team in the NFL on Sunday.
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Time to shock the world like we did that time we beat Houston.
Should be a hell of a game against
Time to shock the world like we did that time we beat Houston.
I remember that game. this morning Vegas has the pack at a 3 point fav.
The Patriots are the best team in the NFL, and Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are 10 weeks away from earning their fourth Super Bowl rings.
stupidest thing I read (so far) today and that's saying a LOT. sports pundits predicting the SB winner before the playoffs even begin is their crack cocaine.
DaTone and Perry will be keys to this game. Hoping both can go.
Brad Jones and Mike Neal need to stay where they belong. On the sidelines
EDIT: CMIII was also taken off 3rd downs yesterday to preserve him as he is "close to 100" percent with the groin injury. So appears MM was playing CMIII essentially part-time yesterday.
We need Guion. To play big too.
Wondered about this proclamation / supposition from ChilliJon.
I'm looking forward to this.
The NEP have two losses, and as noted in the OP now have 7 wins in a row.
In their two losses against MIA and KAN, they were dominated on the LOS and both opponents RTFB, a lot.
@MIA - Knowshon Moreno: 24 for 134, 1 TD , w/ a long of 15 (so no skewed avg)
@MIA - Lamar Miller: 11 for 59, 0 TD, w/a long of 13 (again, very balanced)
@KAN - Knile Davis: 16 for 107, 0 TD, w/a long of 48 (so 15 for 59 on the rest - very respectable)
@KAN - Jamaal Charles: 18 for 92, 1 TD, w/a long of 17 (so no skewed avg)
In their 7 wins in a row run:
5 at home - CIN, NYJ, CHI, DEN, DET
CIN, NYJ, CHI are no match for top tier teams
DEN needs to play from ahead, and DET is real Jeckyll and Hyde
2 on the road - BUF, IND
BUF was starting Kyle Orton and while he has had some success in his career, he is a career back-up.
IND decided to throw, throw, and throw some more. 39 passes against 16 total runs with Luck the leading rusher for them. Luck is not yet in the elite category where he can go toe-to-toe with someone like Brady and win a shootout.
Right now they and GB look very similar.
Wondered about this proclamation / supposition from ChilliJon.
DEN needs to play from ahead, and DET is real Jeckyll and Hyde
Detroit dropped 3! yes 3! TD's in the EZ yesterday that were massive differences in that game. The wheels are officially off of that offense. But if their WR's could catch a ball, that game yesterday would have been far different for the Lions.
Pat fans will be pissing in their Chowda' this week thinking about Lacy. They know this is the toughest game on their docket in 2014.
I wouldn't be surprised if CHI goes to DET on Thu and wins.
Pats have been putting Revis on teams #2 WR then having Browner + safety help vs their #1's. I'd expect the same against GB. Revis will be taking on Cobb one on one with Browner/Safety help on Jordy
Gonna need Davante/TE's, Lacy in the receiving game to probably have big days...and I hope MM opens things up a bit more to get more of them involved.
Offense needs to bring their A game and control the TOP. I don't expect this defense to muster up much against Brady/Gronk...so the best thing is to keep them off the field as long as possible. Turnovers should be hard to come by, considering both teams just don't turn the ball over at all
First team to 30 wins
Antiworst and I have three words for you all. Super Bowl Patriots. It's over. A done deal. Why are we even playing in this game? Bring on the Falcons...assuming Matty Ice decides not to be too mean to us.
Pats have been putting Revis on teams #2 WR then having Browner + safety help vs their #1's. I'd expect the same against GB. Revis will be taking on Cobb one on one with Browner/Safety help on Jordy
Gonna need Davante/TE's, Lacy in the receiving game to probably have big days...and I hope MM opens things up a bit more to get more of them involved.
Offense needs to bring their A game and control the TOP. I don't expect this defense to muster up much against Brady/Gronk...so the best thing is to keep them off the field as long as possible. Turnovers should be hard to come by, considering both teams just don't turn the ball over at all
First team to 30 wins
If Arod ignores the receiver being covered by Revis, I don't like our chances. Rodgers to Cobb is a combo good enough to beat any CB a few times per game. Force the Patriots to cover the whole field.
We all know Detroit well enough to know they have faded down the stretch many times and the last time I checked they aren't playing in New England where the Pats don't seem to lose.
No doubt. I don't want to see a repeat of their embarrassing performance against Seattle where they just played into their hands by actively avoiding Sherman
Any reciever covered by Revis will get the ball thrown to him if he is open. MM needs to draw up plays to achieve this. I trust he will.
@ CAPackfan95
One of the best SNL skits.
Any reciever covered by Revis will get the ball thrown to him if he is open. MM needs to draw up plays to achieve this. I trust he will.
MM wasn't the problem at Seattle. Arod was, and he ignored some open receivers on Sherman's side, including a wide open for a TD, Devante.
I don't think this is right, the Milwaukee game was the Eagles 2 weeks ago.
This will be a good test for the team. Both teams are playing extremely well, and can explode on Offense. I also believe that these two coaches are the 2 best in the game, in game planning and exploiting weaknesses. One QB is on fire and MVP candidate while the other QB is a winner, and is playing really well. Matchup problems all over the place for both teams, this game should be really good, can't wait.
Revis is not the same as years ago, Jordy and Cobb will find the spots. The time is now for the 2014 GB Packers - go foogin get it!
Pats have been putting Revis on teams #2 WR then having Browner + safety help vs their #1's. I'd expect the same against GB. Revis will be taking on Cobb one on one with Browner/Safety help on Jordy
Gonna need Davante/TE's, Lacy in the receiving game to probably have big days...and I hope MM opens things up a bit more to get more of them involved.
Offense needs to bring their A game and control the TOP. I don't expect this defense to muster up much against Brady/Gronk...so the best thing is to keep them off the field as long as possible. Turnovers should be hard to come by, considering both teams just don't turn the ball over at all
First team to 30 wins
Considering their vulnerability to the screen I'll be curious to see how Cobb is utilized. I would also bet the hodge podge at TE with Adams and even Boykin (if he can catch a ****ing ball) will be needed to keep the chains moving and Pats offense off the field. That's the thing that just sucks about Boykin failing this year. This is the kind of game for him to shine. He's a good route runner. DerVante is still going through rookie bonehead mistakes, which you can't have against a good team.
Milwaukee games are the 2nd and 5th every year.
It's Green package from here on out.
DuhVante had the Duheer in the headlights look Sunduhy
Milwaukee crowd is always louder. Green package has always had more "down-in-front" geezers who have no concept of the 12th man.
Anyway, later in the year is better for crowd noise at Lambeau. Gramps gets to thinking about the poor circulation in his feet and is more likely to give his tickets up.
Skip Bayless@RealSkipBayless · 19 hrs19 hours ago
Hey, Green Bay: It won't be such a "laugher" for ARodg a week from today at Lambeau. Here comes THE best quarterback in the NFL.
Be sure to watch "First Take" this morning and report back on how Skip is ripping on the Packers and talking up Brady and then kill yourself instead of ever listening, reading, or watching a thing that ****tard does ever again.
Note: I don't want you to kill yourself. I do want you to stop paying attention to the braying jackass because he wants nothing more than to have you cut and paste his tweet here.
Milwaukee crowd is always louder
I always get a kick out of this. You know this how?
They have been saving him all season just for this game. Pack will finally unleash
Milwaukee crowd is always louder
I always get a kick out of this. You know this how?
My family has season tickets. I'm from Green Bay and have lots of friends who go to all the home games and we all think this.
I will say it has gotten a lot better in recent years, but for a long time, the geezers seriously wanted you to sit down and shut up, even when the Packers are on defense.
(Also, my Dad is one of those geezers.)
Significant sample size
Be sure to watch "First Take" this morning and report back on how Skip is ripping on the Packers and talking up Brady and then kill yourself instead of ever listening, reading, or watching a thing that ****tard does ever again.
Note: I don't want you to kill yourself. I do want you to stop paying attention to the braying jackass because he wants nothing more than to have you cut and paste his tweet here.
I can honestly say I've watched/read very limited bits from this ass hole, mostly right here. It amazes me the lengths he goes to for this schtick. I guess the whole the media from sports on up just immediately goes to a shock jock default now. Yellow journalism? Yellow and brown journalism.
Why does it feel like.....A win vs the Pasties significantly sets up all roads leading through Lambeau to represent the NFC in the Superbowl.
They have been saving him all season just for this game. Pack will finally unleash
Yeah, just some raw speed to create hurricane force winds on Rebus Island.
Significant sample size
It is an opinion and not a scientific test, sure as sh*t. Point being, I wouldn't worry about the Milwaukee crowd.
One day ESPN will find a younger, more toxic, louder, and cheaper pair debate raging phuksticks to replace Skip and Screamin' A Smith.
I still can't wait for those two to go away though.
They have been saving him all season just for this game. Pack will finally unleash
Yeah, just some raw speed to create hurricane force winds on Rebus Island.
Boykin hasn't stepped up and Adams tweaked his back and regressed a little against the Vikes. This may not be too far-fetched.