By Michael Vallee
It’s amazing how fast perceptions can change over the course of an NFL season. Through four weeks the Patriots record was an unimpressive 2-2 and the only thing preventing them from being 1-3 was a dropped late-game interception by the Houston Texans. New England had the worst defense in the NFL and looming on their schedule was a potentially brutal two-game road swing against the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders. So much for that perception. On Sunday the Patriots pounded the Raiders like they were a Mexican pinata stuffed with Super Bowl rings, coasting to a 33-8 win. This completed the Patriots two-week-high-altitude road trip where they glided thru the thin air of Denver and Mexico City with the ease of a 62-yard stephen Gostkowski field goal, outscoring their opponents 74-24.
Of course, as has been the recent trend, Patriot greatness was only half of the equation. The Raiders committed eight penalties, had two turnovers and in general performed with an almost staggering level of bumbling incompetence. What the hell happened to that team? I know Jack Del Rio isn’t going to be mistaken for Vince Lombardi any time soon but his teams are generally, at least, competitive and display a modicum of preparation. What did Oakland do all week to prepare for their Mexico trip, take lessons on burrito making and listen to Rosetta Stone? This is a team that was 12-4 last year and was on the short list of AFC teams that might actually make the Patriots sweat a little. Instead they join the long list of Houstons, Denvers, Chargers and Chiefs that can’t get out of their own way and will be lucky to finish the year at .500.
And if you think the AFC Conference is bad, how about the AFC East. I hope you don’t watch the Patriots for entertainment purposes, if so, you might want to shut it down until the playoffs. The Patriots have exactly one interesting game remaining, Pittsburgh week 15, otherwise it’s five games against their laugh-out-loud awful divisional opponents. The Bills have lost three straight, the Dolphins have lost four straight and the Jets are 1-4 in their last five. Boston’s subway system the morning of a blizzard runs with more precision than this collection of stiffs. As long as Brady is the Patriots quarterback and Belichick is the Patriots coach the league should mandate that all of their AFC East opponents change their team logo to a white flag.
The Patriots are 8-2. They are a virtual lock to win 13 or 14 games. They are going to have a first round bye. They are going to crush a lousy team with a lousy quarterback in the divisional round of the playoffs. The only pressing question left from now until the AFC Championship is whether or not that game will be played in Foxboro or Pittsburgh. So much for the unpredictability of sports.
Notes
Inside the Numbers:
-In Brady’s two games on the high altitude swing through Denver and Mexico City he was a combined 55 for 71, for 605 yards and 6 touchdowns. His QB rating was 130.3.
-In Brady’s last 22 regular season games he has thrown 50 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
-When Brady has faced a team with Jack Del Rio as either the head coach or defensive coordinator, including the playoffs, he has thrown 25 touchdowns and one interception. Hey Jack, whatever you’re doing, it’s not working.
-On Sunday Belichick recorded win number 271 as a head coach, passing Landry for third place on the all-time list. He is still a staggering 76 wins shy of Don Shula for the top spot.
-The Patriots have won 13 straight road games. It is the 2nd longest streak in NFL history. The 1988-90 Niners are the current record holders with 18.
TB12 Method: In his constant battle to kick father time’s ass Brady was spectacular Sunday, completing over 80% of his passes for a 131.9 quarterback rating. Is it possible at age 40 that Brady is actually getting better? He is the current favorite to win the NFL MVP award; he continues to move in the pocket as well as he ever has; and he might be throwing the ball downfield with more precision than at any point in his career. Brady completed two perfect bombs to Brandin Cooks against Oakland, including a 64-yard touchdown that effectively iced the game in the first minute of the 2nd half. Brady currently leads the NFL with 43 passes over 15 yards. If they’re smart every quarterback in the NFL has ‘The TB12 Method’ on their Christmas list.
Center of Attention: One of the most impressive things about Sunday’s win over Oakland was that the Patriots were without starting center, David Andrews. Andrews is having a Pro Bowl caliber year and was replaced by a guy, Ted Karras, with virtually no game experience, and the Patriots offense didn’t miss a beat. 15 years ago the Raiders organization learned the hard way of the potential impact of losing a quality center, when their Pro Bowl center, Barret Robbins, went missing before Super Bowl XXXVII. Robbins never played in the game and their offense imploded in a 48-21 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Strange side note: We later learned from Robbins’ ex-wife the bizarre details of his pre-Super Bowl disappearance. The episode was apparently triggered by Robbins not taking his depression medication, and it must have been some strong medication because he spent the day before the big game partying in Tijuana, Mexico where he thought he was celebrating the Raiders “victory” in the Super Bowl that had not yet been played.
Bowl Cut: They should add a Mark Davis cam to every Raiders broadcast.
Into Thin Air: This game might have been won before the ball was ever kicked off. The Patriots not only played Denver in the thin air of mile high last week but Belichick wisely kept the team in the high altitude of Colorado, holding practices at the Air Force Academy. By the time the Patriots reached Mexico City, which is 2,000 feet higher than mile high, they were fully acclimated to the conditions. The Raiders, on the other hand, rolled into town the day before the game and looked completely gassed right out of the chute. The Raiders used the same approach last year when they beat the Houston Texans in Mexico City so they went with it again. Makes perfect sense to think that something that would work against the Texans would also work against the Patriots.
A Week in the Life of: Marshawn Lynch recently had a rather unusual week as far as NFL running backs go. He was tossed from a game for contacting an official, spent the rest of the game watching from the stands, then after the game took the train home, was eventually suspended for one game and during his suspension practiced with his old high school, causing them to be investigated for violating local high school bylaws.
Sensitivity Training: Belichick reportedly ruffled a few feathers when he said this about the game in Mexico City on WEEI Monday, “I think we’re fortunate there was no volcano eruptions, earthquakes or anything else…” A bunch of overly sensitive types freaked out on Twitter including one guy who countered that Mexicans should be happy when they visit America and are not killed in a mass shooting. Now that is a perfectly valid point considering that Mexico is a completely non-violent and safe country. I read recently that drug cartels in Juarez just instituted a new policy of meting out discipline with hugs and kindness.
He Said What Now?: Don’t expect Jerry Jones to be invited to Thanksgiving dinner at the Kraft’s this year. ESPN’s ‘Outside the Lines’ recently reported that Roger Goodell called Jerry Jones in August to inform him of Ezekiel Elliott’s six-game suspension and Jones responded with this poetic gem, “I’m gonna come after you with everything I have. If you think Bob Kraft came after you hard, Bob Kraft is a pussy compared to what I’m going to do.” While Patriots fans have likely used similar language to describe their beloved owner’s response to Deflategate, Jones is shameless hypocrite. Not long ago he was telling Kraft to stand down and accept his Deflategate punishment but when it’s Jones’ team that is being adversely affected suddenly he is singing a different tune. As far as picking sides in the Jones v. Goodell feud that would be like asking a woman who she’d rather date, Bill Cosby or Harvey Weinstein. Sophie had an easier choice.
Gridiron Death Star: Mark Davis might be a clown but is he also about to become the first owner of an NFL team in Las Vegas, where the Raiders are building one helluva a badass looking stadium. The only thing missing from this virtual tour video is a Darth Vader voice over declaring, “The battle station is almost fully operational.”
For The Record: Gostkowski’s high-altitude-aided 62-yard field goal at the end of the first half got me thinking, who is the true record holder of the longest field goal in NFL history. This title comes with two stipulations:
-The kick cannot be assisted by thin air (sorry Denver)
-The kicker has to have a human foot. As impressive as Tom Dempsey’s then record 63-yard kick was, I am looking for a field goal that was made by someone that doesn’t have a shoe shine box attached to their leg.
True Record Holder: David Akers, San Francisco 49ers
Akers kicked a 63-yard field goal in 2012 at Lambeau field which means it was both outdoors and on grass. Impressive.
Terry Glenn, 1974-2017: Tough news hearing about the sudden death of Terry Glenn from an automobile accident. Apparently Glenn had an infamous reputation as a driver, a sentiment echoed on Twitter by WEEI’s Gerry Callahan, “I spent a day with Terry Glenn once upon a time. Nice enough guy, but I remember one thing above all others: He drove like a maniac”. People might not remember that Glenn caught Brady’s first touchdown pass and it came during Brady’s breakout came as a pro. After two unspectacular starts Brady lit it up in his third start, a 29-26 win over the San Diego Chargers, throwing for 364 yards and two touchdowns. More significantly Glenn was at the heart of the infamous power struggle between owner Bob Kraft and then coach Bill Parcells. It was just before the 1996 draft and the Patriots held the seventh spot in the first round. Kraft and Director of Player Personnel, Bobby Grier, wanted a lightning fast wide receiver out of Ohio State and Parcells reportedly wanted to take a defensive lineman. Kraft would eventually side with Grier and the Patriots drafted Terry Glenn.
This move was the beginning of the end for Parcells’ time in New England. After the season Parcells was hired to run the NY Jets and Grier was promoted to general manager. Glenn had a highly productive rookie year, hauling in 90 catches for over 1,100 yards, but a disappointing career plagued by injuries and attitude problems. If, however, you believe in the butterfly effect, Glenn proved to be the catalyst for Bill Belichick ultimately landing with the Patriots and taking them on this historic run. His Patriots career may have been disappointing but his impact is still being felt. Glenn was 43-years old.