1.This one is obvious, but how does the defense respond to the loss of Jamie Collins?
This is the biggest question for the rest of the season and hopefully playoffs. Can this defense, minus one of the most athletic players in Patriots history, pull together as 11 parts of a central nervous system?
If I had to pick a favorite between High and Collins, I know this seems silly now, but I’d have said Collins up to the day of the trade. Obviously, I was wrong, but it was like choosing between Cersei and Tyrion Lannister. Every human in the realm would choose Tyrion, he’s flashier and sexier, he’s droll and funny and the best part of Westros, but when the White Walkers come calling, you know Cersei is going to be stained with mud, covered in rags with blood in her mouth because she’s now surviving only on rat carcasses. She’s just a badass, who is constantly challenged, but she continues to roll up her sleeves and go back to work. High’s play in Super Bowl 49 before Malcolm Butler’s interception is perhaps the greatest play of the game, forever overshadowed by Malcolm Go (buy the mug), but one doesn’t happen without the other.
The Collins move was disciplined, smart and callous, everything that makes Belichick a great GM, getting something for a player he was increasingly viewing as a negative to team defense. But this is first time in a long time where I’m openly concerned Belichick, the biggest hater of distraction, has actually become the distraction, himself. I almost always love these types of moves by the Hoodie. Loved the Chung trade, the Moss trade, the Chandler trade, but this one, along with the distraction of the letter to Trump has me openly wondering if Belichick could lose the locker room. Not because it was to Trump just because this election was so divisive that there will surely be players in that locker room who disagree. They need to come together and maybe a road trip to the West Coast can help them get away from the cesspool of Boston sports media.
2. What does the performance of Jamie Collins and the Defense in general say about our resident Rocket Scientist?
Matt Patricia has been dangled out there as the heir apparent to Belichick and I’m honestly perplexed. This defense takes more wild swings than I did at 18, hammered, trying to defend a woman with honor. There are stretches where they play like beasts and then there are the times where no 30-point lead seems safe. And it’s not just one player, it’s a collective core that’s not making the necessary reads and exerting the extra effort to make a stop. A lesson for our defense: never take your foot off the gas and a lesson for me: don’t try to fight a Golden Glove boxer who happens to shoe horses for a living when you weigh a biscuit more than 100 pounds. My jaw still hurts
3. What do we get out of Dion Lewis this season?
Coming off ACL surgery, athletes worry most about quick cutting. You have to ignore the screaming voice saying “Don’t do that. That’s how you nearly ruined your career.” You have to brainwash yourself harder than a Westworld husk who has had their wives and children murdered by Ed Harris. Unfortunately for Dion and the Patriots that’s the one skill that he possesses that makes him elite. Can he quiet the voices in his head and use his stop-and-start quickness to take some of the pressure off of the running game and flee the scalper?
4. Now that we’re through the election season, what’s the leagues next excuse for why ratings are down?
Personally, football will be a welcome respite from the wall-to-wall election coverage. Let’s sit back, relax and enjoy what is looking like a very fun Patriots season.
Like most Patriots fans, I’ve enjoyed the ratings decline putting pressure on the league office, but let’s be honest they will never point the finger at themselves, so let’s get used to Goodell explaining away his poor decision making. Also, I could literally care less about the business model of the NFL. It’s a sport with a team that I love; I don’t care where they are investing their money. Outside of Miguel doing Pats Cap, I really hate the merger of sports and business. I watch sports to take my mind off of real life, not to have to worry about budgets.
5. How do Patriots handle the upcoming travel schedule?
The season has broken into 4 easily identifiable quarters.
“The Back-up Tour”: ARI, MIA, HOU, BUF
“The Midwestern Scorched Earth Tour”: CLE, CIN, PIT, BUF
And next up, we have “The NFC West Post-bye week Tour”. (It’s a great name of a tour, stop it): SEA, SF, NYJ, LA
Of course, we’ve been told that the Seattle Seahawks, the team with the 4th best odds of winning the Super Bowl, is a “tomato can,” so take that for what it’s worth.
- 11/13: Home against the Seahawks. Marquee game of the season, so far.
- 11/20: Then travel to San Francisco for a Sunday afternoon affair. Chip beat us last year.
- 11/27: Then a trip to the Meadowlands for the Jets on Sunday night.
- 12/4: Then home for the Rams. I mean, okay. Maybe we’ll have to contend with Goff by then? I’m stretching for reasons on this one.
6. What the hell happens to Simmons?
Nothing to do with the Patriots, but he’s a Pats fan. I loved his show, though I probably only caught 4 or 5 episodes. I thought it was funny, I was surprised how much better he was on TV than he used to be. The show was really well produced and utilized the talk show format decently. I also love that it called out the bullshit in sports: billionaires bilking small sports towns for tax dollars.
I hope he goes back to writing columns, mailbags and live chats. Simmons at his best was a mailbag with 50 questions and 12,000 words and 35 references to Nakotami Tower. I would comb through it like a drunk at a liquor store. That was his bread and butter and I wish there was a way for him to make his way back to the page.
7. What new wrinkles will Patriots Offense and Defense have post-bye?
The Bye week came a little early for my taste, but a vacation right at the mid-way point isn’t terrible. Last week will offer them a chance to self-evaluate. Coaches often make adjustments based on the last four games of work. For defenses going against the Pats, that is really all they have to go on with Brady back. So how will the Patriots switch things up enough to continue their pace, I’m looking forward to some versatility and change ups at the Running Back position. Lewis coming back, White coming on and Blount pounding away. Let’s maximize all three.
8. Speaking of pace, can LaGarrette Blount continue his?
Blount has been absolutely crucial to the Patriots success early on. I predicted 1,000 yards for him, but I didn’t anticipate this. Dude is on pace for roughly 1,300 total yards and 18 TDs.
A few 2nd half warnings: his Y/A is the lowest he’s had since 2012 with the Buccanneers at 3.8. He’s benefitted from some early game plans that were extremely run heavy because of the quarterback. He’s also on pace for 320 carries, which would be a carear high by 120 carries. Yikes. I expect them to spread the RB love for the 2nd half.
9. Carroll vs. Belichick
This is a storied rivalry that’s not really a rivalry. It’s only manifested on the field twice since Belichick took over the Patriots for Carroll. Carroll won the first matchup in 2012 and the Patriots returned the favor. The Seahawks are a flawed team, but so are the Patriots. Let’s see how each Hall of Fame coach (yes, Carroll is a Hall of Fame coach) attacks the others strengths and weaknesses.
I anticipate an all timer, like when Brady marched the Patriots back from 24 at the half. No one is sleeping on Sunday night. Hopefully that’s from excitement and not depression.
10. Will we see Brisset back?
If so, does this portend an end to the Garoppolo era? It was brief (so brief I’ve already forgotten how to spell his last name) and he was excellent when he was out there, but there just seems to be something about this kid Brisset. He’s coachable and Belichick activating him would seem to be a meaningful move going forward. The fact that he travelled with the team makes me feel like they have plans for him.
11. Can the AFC East get another team in the playoffs?
Probably not. It would require the Broncos and Chiefs going away. I’m relieved because I always hate facing a team for a third time. The Dolphins and Bills have an outside shot though and Shaughnessy is already prepping his “The Road to the Super Bowl goes through a Campbells Soup Factory” joke. Hilarious, Dan. You really have your finger on the pulse.
12. How much fun is the Ravens game going to be?
It looked like a laugher at the beginning of the season, but now it’s going to be a real test for the Patriots. The Ravens D and STs are legit and their offense has done some things against the Patriots before. Also it will be John Harbaugh’s first trip back to New England since Edelman dropped a dime to Danny Amendola, which caused the thin-skinned Harbaugh to drop a dime to the league office. The crowd should be absolutely merciless.
My single biggest fear for the Revenge Bowl. The league’s Sheriff is a Baltimore native and I foresee two ways he tries to shit in our stew.
A. Goodell will make his first appearance in Foxboro.
B. Pete Morelli will be assigned as the head ref.
Book it. When Goodell has a chance to troll New England, he absolutely will. F#$% Goodell.