201. 2-0-1. There’s only one place to start this week and that’s giving credit where credit is due. Tom Brady is the winningest quarterback of all time and he damn well deserves it. He surpasses Brett Favre, who reached out and congratulated him via video, and greasy fingered Peyton Manning, who also managed to wrestle out a text right before karaoke night with Papa John. You know who hasn’t reached out to Brady? The commissioner of the National Football League. Yup, the lying, gutless Roger Goodell. Don’t take it from me though, let’s get Jerry Thornton’s (Barstool Sports) two cents on RG:
What’s the oldest cliche in the world about bullies? It’s that deep down, they’re all just self-loathing cowards who fear nothing like they do the idea of anyone standing up to them. From Biff Tannen to Scut Farkas to Nelson Muntz, the second any one of their victims treats them to the bitter taste of clenched-fisted revenge across the jaw, they lose all their fight and become the chickenshit invertebrate they always were. Their spirit broken for good, washing and waxing George McFly’s car in the driveway.
With every game that passes and every record Brady shatters to add to his already unparalleled resume, Roger Goodell looks more and more incompetent, unqualified, inept, floundering, maladroit…should I go on? Even the most destitute of vision Patriot and Brady haters see this guy for the buffoon he is. “First they came…”
Staying on #12, Michael Hurley (CBS Boston) dusts off the history books and sifts through the ‘ESPN classics’ to give us his 16 victories that define Brady’s career. My personal favorite, Super Bowl XLIX against the Seahawks, was expectedly on the list, with Hurley pointing out the 4th quarter performance:
In that final quarter, after being thrust into the the center of a national scandal thanks to the NFL, Brady showed the most remarkable level of focus in his career. He completed 13 of 15 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns. It was nothing short of incredible.
I don’t know about you, but against that defense, in that hole, in that crucial of a circumstance? Best quarter of football I’ve ever seen. Goosebumps just thinking about it. But I digress…Let’s get to more pressing matters in the present time.
Doug Kyed (NESN) broke down the defensive performance against the Rams in his film review piece earlier in the week. Yes, it’s the Rams, yes, they stink, yes, their quarterback coach combo is Jared Goff and Jeff Fisher. I get all that. That being said, the deception and sense of urgency in the game plan was what we’ve been screaming for all season long! Kyed writes:
The Patriots are starting to get creative and aggressive on defense. They bring a bunch of players down near the line of scrimmage, and the opposing QB and O-line have no idea who will be rushing and who will be dropping because they’re all similar athletes who can cause problems in multiple ways.
Ding ding ding! About damn time. What is it? The game plan? The personnel? The adjustment period coming to an end? All of the above? Who knows. Who cares. We need to see more of it. Joe Flacco is obviously a more accomplished signal-caller than Goff, and far better equipped to deal with such tactics, but if status quo is returned to this Monday and he goes the entire game untouched and unchallenged, Patriots Nation has a right to be up in arms.
We’re onto Baltimore. Tom Curran (CSN) touches on the competitive environment in the AFC and why, as often as it is assumed, the Jets are not the Pats’ biggest rivals:
There’s no franchise the team hates more thoroughly than the Jets. The Steelers, just because of franchise tradition, are in the mix but the Patriots have had their way in most of the big games with Pittsburgh. The Colts? It’s kind of a big brother-little brother thing. The Broncos? Definitely. But no opponent has provided the gripping games and the mix of animosity and respect that the Ravens have over the past decade.
Oh ya. The big bad Ravens. You know the drill. Terrell Suggs still won’t say Brady’s name, like he just got through the first Harry Potter book 20 years later. John Harbaugh is still displaying egregious exhibits on hypocrisy, and blaming to the referees and New England coaching staff for his simply not knowing the rulebook. Even young wall defenders know not to let the act get to them.
To: T.Sizzle@ballsoharduniversity.edu
Heisenberg is coming this weekend. But this time it isn’t a TV show for you, Mr.Suggs. Now say his name.
Pats. Ravens. Monday night.
Let’s go.