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Brady: 2022

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Tom Brady kinda sorta hinted at calling it a wrap at 45 on Instagram, leaving me to wonder if he did make it five more years what his potential win/stat outlook would be and how the offense (and team) will have to re-built around him once again.

But first, a question and disclaimer. Does 45 mean we get potentially get Brady at 45 for the 2022 season? Or that he’ll call it quits when he turns 45 in August of 2022? Let’s just assume he means four more seasons after this one, meaning in February 2023, after winning his 7th-ish Super Bowl, the GOAT will ride off into the sunset as the SUPER GOAT.

The disclaimer, and it’s a big one, is it only takes one play to change it all in an instant. That’s the reality of the NFL for every player, and no matter how bendy Brady is, no amount of clean eating, foam rolling, and Alex Guerrero rubdowns can save him from everything. There’s also a “rehabbing Brady coming back at 43 after a lost injury season” possibility, which would be another potential dramatic twist.

We don’t have to go down this road any further. It’s the NFL. Injuries happen and Brady has been lucky to have avoided them thus far.

Let’s just assume Brady stays healthy for it all. 90 regular season games. Five more AFC Championships. A final play either way in at least a couple more Super Bowls – 52, 53, 54, 55 or 56. What statistical mountains can Brady, how high can he set the bar? How can they build the team around him to make it happen?

Let’s dive in!

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Who’s Fueling the Patriots Internal Dissension Frenzy?

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As you’re all aware of by now, on Friday morning there were murmurs that something BIG was going to happen with the Patriots. Something that, in the words of Jerry Thornton, would be a 9.5 on the Richter scale, something that would instantly overshadow Thursday’s Edelman suspension.

Notably, it wasn’t ESPN or the mainstream beat guys tantalizing us and having us brace for the worst. It was compadres like Jerry, and the lesser-known blogger types like myself. Now, I don’t claim to have sources. I have people who occasionally tell me things, sometimes they’re true, sometimes not. As a blogger who is unconcerned with breaking news, I never run with anything in an attempt to be first.

I prefer to let things play out and stick to my mantra of this being a Patriots football blog, not a Patriots rumor blog. I know that seems to go against the stereotype of me sitting in my mom’s basement, trying desperately to break a bit of news that will put me in the spotlight, but that’s what I’ve been doing for over a decade.

And I heard the same rumblings that my fellow bloggers were reporting, so like everyone else I was waiting on pins and needles. As I pondered what it might be I came to the realization that only three Patriots people truly mattered to me — BB, TB and Gronk. Anything outside of that trio and I wouldn’t even blink. There’s just no one left who is untouchable outside of maybe Dont’a Hightower.

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Two Biggest Surprise Players from Patriots Minicamp

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With names like Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman getting most of the attention at Patriots minicamp, there are a few surprising players that took advantage of their opportunity during this teaching phase, but might’ve flown under the national drama spotlight.

The one thing about the Patriots, it really is a level playing field after the players arrive. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done or where you were drafted. That’s why every year an undrafted free agent or two, or some castoff from another team, makes the roster of the winningest team in the league.

Who are the surprising new faces who are standing out already in 2018? Here are two candidates who have opened eyes.

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Can Flores Fix First Down D?

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If there’s a wheelhouse that fans and detractors of the New England Patriots’ defense love, it’s the “be more aggressive” angle and Mike Reiss nails it today taking a closer look at new de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ presence at minicamp.

Quotes like this one from Dont’a Hightower are enough to give some fans a picture all-out Cover 0 blitzes coming on every down.

“Matty P and Flo are somewhat the same, but a little different at the same time. With the playcalling we’ve gotten so far, I definitely feel like we’re going to be more aggressive. Things are a little bit more simple, but it’s still a little bit different, and guys are learning bits and pieces of the defense. But so far, so good.”

The one thing I was never quite sure about with Matt Patricia was where Belichick ended and he began. The defense certainly evolved from the mid-2000’s, especially around 2012 where the switch to a mostly man-to-man defense took hold. Instead of off-the-line corners like Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs, who were quick and could pattern read, they actively pursued press man corners like Aqib Talib, Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

But for the last 17 years, the Patriots have primarily been a conservative defense, mostly content to play coverage, tackle well and wait for the other team to flame out. They’ll pick their spots with blitzes, sometimes, like 2014 with the Collins/Hightower Double A-Gap blitz, they’ll even make it a featured item.

Exploiting and winning one-on-one matchups up front is more what it’s about, rather than sending five or six rushers every single passing play. We have come to know, and hate, it as the Bend Don’t Break. That has always felt like Belichick more than the defensive coordinator.

Will Flores change this general philosophy? I’m not all that convinced, but what’s clear is that for a number of reasons, the 2017 Patriots defense was the one of the bendiest and break-iest under Belichick. Some adjustments must be made.

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Stop Worrying and Enjoy the End of Belichick/Brady

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It’s hard to remember a time when Tom Brady wasn’t the quarterback of the New England Patriots. The ride for any fan who suffered through the disappointments of the team’s first 40 years has been, in the words of FOPP’er Jerry Thornton, “From Darkness to Dynasty.”

It was, of course, great to see Brady back on the field on Tuesday. The snarky “he’s present” takes all over the place were obvious, but any time I see 12 on the field my heart flutters, and it was a nice reminder that the ride ain’t over yet.

Never before has a football fanbase enjoyed this kind of long-term success and it’s been fascinating to watch how opinions of the team, nationally and locally, have evolved, especially toward the be-hoodied coach and wonderboy quarterback who have been most successful at the start and end of their storied run.

From the patriotic darling underdogs of 2001 to the despised undefeated regular season 2007. The “dying dynasty” of 2008-2013, to legend-cementing wins in Super Bowls 49 and 51. What a long strange trip of football domination it’s been.

For 16 seasons it was in Bill and Tom We Trust, but after falling just short in Super Bowl 52, the cracks internally and externally are becoming the driving narratives behind this team. Personally, I have no doubt at this point Brady and Belichick have an understanding and will be able to join forces until the end like they’ve done for so long.

This is the end game Brady. He’s not the same “first in, last out” kid. He’s the GOAT and that’s enough to not have to be the “first in, last out” vet. Belichick knows that, and really there’s some good football sense to giving Brady some extra time to himself and his family. Keeping him fresh physically and mentally at this stage makes more sense than him being present for the teaching period of OTAs.

But expect the media to ride out any potential divisions until the very end.

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Matt Light Chosen For Patriots Hall of Fame

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh9lf3f5IY0

The Patriots announced today that Matt Light had been selected over Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour to be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame. While I was a Mike Vrabel voter, Light getting in makes a ton of sense. Of the trio he was by far the fan favorite and when the fans are voting you had to know he had a good chance to get in this year.

Light was one of the hearts of the personality of the 2000-2011 Patriots teams. His tenure perfectly matched the Patriots first Super Bowl win, finishing with the loss in Super Bowl 46. In that time, the Patriots saw much turnover, but Light was a constant, setting the tone for the “bearded brothers” up front who protected the GOAT.

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Help. Who’s Who at Patriots Rookie MiniCamp?

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One of my favorite annual articles to write is the Patriots Rookie Eyeball Test, where I take an in-depth look (literally) at the newest players to join the team and break down their numbers, facemasks and general aura in a hard-hitting article. However this year things were made nearly impossible after the photos were released from rookie mini-camp.

First, no one is actually labeled on the Patriots.com pics and randomly, all of the players seem to have been given nonsense numbers. This is a new development, as Belchick used to have the team often without numbers at all to improve communication. The NFL put the kibosh on that a couple seasons ago. For what it’s worth, the official team roster still has all the rookie numbers as “N/A”.

Let’s take a quick dive into the minicamp photos and do the best I can to identify who is who, while I’m forced to wait for actual numbers for each player.

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