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In honor of today’s honorary captain! Best of Ty Law | Patriot Hall of Famer | Career Highlights – YouTube) Need some Peyton INT mojo from him today!
https://www.patspropaganda.com/in-honor-of-todays-honorary-captain-best-of-ty/
As you’re all probably aware by now, I track Bill Belichick’s game day attire and in recent years as it’s come to light, I believe more and more that somehow I have a direct line to whoever chooses his wardrobe.
Last week was another prime example when I said BB should wear the “Hot Jacket” that he was 9-1 in despite it likely being winter conditions that might require something warmer. Yet there was BB on Sunday, wearing that Hot Jacket and moving to 10-1 in it.
It was similar in both SB46 and SB49 when my pregame picks magically ended up on BB. Let’s see if we can keep that streak going this weekend.
Things are a little more complicated this week because Belichick actually wore that same Hot Jacket the last time the Pats were in Denver for the AFC Championship and they lost. Still, Belichick is now 16-6 in the Hot Jacket, making it his second-most-worn gameday attire only to the famous Gray Reebok Hoodie with the sleeves cut off (he was 31-9 in that).
Here’s a quick look back at what BB has worn in AFC Championships:
BB hasn’t worn gray at all this season and that’s probably for the best since he’s 3-2 in that color. He’s 3-1 in Blue and with temps expected in the 30s/40s it’s likely going to need a hoodie or some layers under the Hot Jacket.
If he goes with a blue hoodie he’s worn three different ones this season:
Each one has it’s own issues, but all things considered there was only one truly epic, legacy win this season and that came against the Giants. That leads me to pick the 2015 Blue Nike Hoodie.
Yes, they lost in Denver with him in that one, but we also finally got the Eli Manning monkey off our back with it as well. 2015 has been impossible to define outside of its injuries. But wins over the Giants, Chiefs and then pulling this one out over the Peyton/Broncos would truly define this 2015 team. Thus the 2015 hoodie makes the most sense.
The Hot Jacket is still a reasonable second choice, but the weather is likely not going to make that the most comfortable selection. And if he must go with a Blue Winter Jacket, so be it, he’s 1-0 in those, but let’s just hope he keeps the 2015 Hoodie underneath.
So let’s all cross our fingers he’s wearing this hoodie below!
This is the biggest key no one is talking about. Just who is going to have the “Best Day of [Their] Life” this day? Personally I think it will be Patriots fans but I’d bet Broncos fans think it will be about them. Guess we’ll just have to see what unfolds on the field with the football players who are playing the game. Weird.
I hesitate to talk about potential Super Bowl matchups because it seems kinda like bad luck but let’s just speculate for fun even though I think this weekend will be a grind even if the final score doesn’t make it appear that way. And honestly, if we win this weekend I’d be pretty relaxed about the Super Bowl because at this point, even another Super Bowl loss only moves the bar Belichick and Brady are setting even higher.
I think both the Panthers and Cardinals would have their advantages and disadvantages. On a personal note I’m rooting for the Cardinals because of connections to their front office that could result in possible tickets to the Super Bowl. I do think I would lean toward the Cardinals as being slightly more favorable, but I don’t think it’s a slam dunk because they have size and speed at all the skill positions and would stretch us thin. That means a game against the Cardinals would likely make Sheard/Ninkovich/Jones/etc and the pass rush the biggest key to victory.
But for the Panthers I don’t see their weapons outside of Newton stretch us thin and that would leave enough resources in the front seven to deal with him. From a matchup standpoint the Panthers would make me a lot more intrigued, especially to see how Belichick would not only deal with Newton, but on the other side of the ball we’d see what I think is the best defense in the NFL. Kuechly is my favorite non-Patriots defender to watch. Norman would be a great matchup for Edelman, and right on down the line with the rest of them.
Either way it would be a close game. After six Super Bowls agains varying degrees of opponents that all came down to the very, very end why would we expect anything else?
Let’s look back. They had 5 turnovers in the 2005 AFCDG in Brady/Belichick’s first playoff loss. In 2009 against McDaniels they had the ball starting at midfield late in the fourth quarter with the game tied and… fumbled it away, then lost in overtime on the first possession. The 2013 game was the most acceptable (if you can call an AFCCG loss acceptable) because of the lack of weaponry and then the loss of Talib.
Those are the first three to jump to mind, they lost there in the 2005 regular season as well. But the trend in those last three games is pretty apparent – turnovers and injuries will get you (almost) every time.
Tom Brady, Patriots’ offense built to adapt
One of those great reads that really gives insight into what makes the Patriots offense with Brady so special. What would fans rather have? Sitting on the “Belichick can’t draft WRs” line or running an offense that is near impossible to stop once it’s going. Loved the line about Edelman “getting it” because he was a college quarterback. The search for more weapons will continue this offseason.
Yeah, I’m not really concerned about the offensive line play. I just think they’ll be protected by the offense’s quick strikes and can hold up in the instances where they need to protect a little longer. I think a large part of that is just establishing an early rhythm. The games where protection is an issue it’s usually an issue from the outset and only grows into a worse problem over the course of the game.
Stopping the run is my biggest key and the must must must do it for 60 minutes. The Denver air worries me as the game wears on, and our battered guys start to have their pain shots wear off. I don’t want to see our defense gassed and getting gashed at the end.
Otherwise I think it’s just about doing what the Patriots do and playing a clean game on offense. So many of the Broncos games this year were handed back to them with a timely turnover. The teams that didn’t do that were able to close them out. But I struggle to see the Patriots losing this game if they have one turnover tops.