It’s a tough time of year for Patriots fans right now. Technically it’s not even the NFL offseason yet, so most Pats analysts and fans are spending their time either gearing up for free agency and the draft, or wondering if Chad “The Chad” Ochcocinco Johnson might look good in New England next year.
Let me go out on a limb and say THERE’S NO FUCKING CHANCE. The Patriots had the best offense in the NFL by a mile in 2010, yet the Jets shut them down in the playoff game and it’s time to go back to the drawing board?
Three weeks ago, everyone laughed at the thought of the Pats struggling without a “deep threat”. But apparently that was the one missing ingredient from making a Super Bowl run this year, if of course you don’t count shitty playoff game performances from just about every single Patriot, especially Tom Brady, and a young defense that showed their inexperience by playing tight.
Now people are saying Brandon Tate is a bust, Taylor Price couldn’t even get on the field until week seventeen mop up minutes so he must suck too, and Welker/Branch are too similar and we’re doomed and on and on… So yeah, three weeks ago, second greatest offense of the decade. Today? One that needs to be revamped for that uber-necessary deep threat.
So why does The Chad make sense? Because BB likes him as a person? So what. I like a lot of people as people, that doesn’t mean I want them in my house everyday and hanging out with me and my friends. And it definitely doesn’t mean that BB is ready to bring that element in to his young, impressionable team.
The circus left town after 2009 folks and it isn’t coming back on BB’s watch again. Especially not in the form of The Chad who loves the spotlight like no one else in the NFL.
And I have nothing against The Chad! I think he brings a sense of fun and playfulness to the sport that not many other players can bring. But that doesn’t mean I think that his talent (and the personality that comes with it) are the missing ingredients for a Patriots Super Bowl run.
Now everyone can get on me and say “oh but he’ll change his act if he came to the Pats”, or “look he’s already going back to Chad Johnson” or “BB talked to him once before a game and it seems like they’re totally BFFs.”
Whatever. People do remember that BB benched his best receiver in a playoff game for making veiled foot comments in a press conference, right? You think he’s going to bring in The Chad and just hope to the Football Gods that all the antics, reality shows, and tweets are things of the past? Highly doubtful.
Here are the facts:
Branch and Welker will both be 100% healthy in 2011. Price came out of a small run-first college so he needed a red shirt year. He will compete with Tate to be the X receiver. There also could be a mid to low round rookie in the mix as well. That will be the Patriots 2011 receiving corps. And if you take the Jets loss with some perspective you’d realize that the Pats are going to be potent on offense again with this group.
