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Pats Posits: We’re On to Jacoby Brissett

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The 2016 Patriots season took a drastic turn on Sunday against the Dolphins.

The Pats exploded out of the gate, with Jimmy Garoppolo throwing three touchdowns and looking Brady-esque with his pocket movement. He delivered multiple strikes, converting the first four third-downs he faced.

It was like it was 2007 again. The defense forced four punts and two turnovers in the first half. The Dolphin’s headsets were going out. Garoppolo was about mak

Then Garoppolo took this hit…

And the entire season changed course. The Pats held on 31-24, needing a game-sealing interception to seal what was a 24-3 lead. It was far more stressful than it should’ve been.

Meanwhile, Garoppolo has an AC sprain and is already out for the Texans on Thursday night.

And just like that, all the talk of Brady vs. Garoppolo comes to a screeching halt.  Garoppolo will be back this season, but he shouldn’t see the field again (we hope).

A powder keg of hot taeks was just dropped overboard to the bottom of the ocean with this injury. But it will be back. They always come back.

For now, the Pats must survive the Texans and Bills with rookie Jacoby Brissett at quarterback and protect their 2-0 record. This is one of the most fascinating coaching challenges Bill Belichick has faced. Luckily it should only last two games.

More on Brissett, Garoppolo and a defense that gave up three consecutive touchdowns and needed an interception to seal what should’ve been a blowout in the Posits…

— Sucks for Garoppolo. He was on fire. Even I was starting to think Bill would be crazy to let him go. But that all goes to the backburner now. You could see the disappointment in his face walking down those dreaded stairs. I don’t think I remember see anyone walk off down that way since Brady in ’08. Even if Garoppolo doesn’t see the field again this year, teams will be interested in him next offseason.

— As far as Garoppolo relates to Brady, it all comes down to Brady’s health. If Brady continues to avoid injury he could have another three seasons at a high level. But as we saw today injuries can quickly alter best laid plans. Garoppolo is an asset through 2017, one way or the other. Let’s see what kind of a season Brady puts together before we crown anyone his heir-apparent.

— So now we look to Jacoby Brissett, who hasn’t looked out of place under center since the second week of training camp. Considering the circumstances he handled the second half about as well as reasonably expected (6-9, 92 yards). His handling of the bad snap showed a calmness and comfort level. He might’ve had a more impressive start if Edelman hadn’t dropped his first two passes.

— I don’t know if Belichick and McDaniels have enough misdirection and quick pass plays in the playbook for the staggering number they’ll need for Brissett.

— Brissett was helped out enormously by Martellus Bennett (5-114, 1 TD) and LeGarrette Blount (29-123, 1 TD). The Pats ran to the outside left four times in a row at one point, on what should’ve been the game-sealing drive had Gostkowski hit that last 39-yarder. On that drive, Brissett picked up two first downs in short yardage, Blount had 35 yards rushing and Bennett blocked and chipped in a 16-yard reception. That core will have to carry the team these next two games.

— In the big picture, the offensive line and ground game is encouraging. If Brady has the kind of time Garoppolo the result will be the same, if not better. What a difference Nate Solder makes. This offense is primed for Brady’s return. They still can’t afford to lose Blount, or else all aboard the Bishop Sankey bandwagon.


— Okay, the defense. It was the tale of two halves. The first half, they were lights out. Then Jimmy goes down and they went into mourning or something. It didn’t seem like the defense had gone into prevent mode. They were still running their aggressive man-t0-man coverages, but no one, save Chris Long again, was making plays. They were all just getting beat.

— Sheard and McClellin combined for three tackles, no sacks and one quarterback hit.  For Sheard, it’s a down game and I think he’ll bounce back. McClellin however I’m starting to wonder what it is he does exactly.

— Maybe this is a little too Belichick-ian but sometimes the answer is simply “play better”. The Patriots defense is far too talented to put that crap on the field. They showed in the first half how good they can be. Dominant. Then, whether it was the big lead or Garoppolo going down, they let up. This happens early in the year. It can’t continue. But if you’re doubting the Patriots defense after one bad half, where they took their foot off the Dolphin’s blowhole, don’t.

— Chris Long (2 QB hits, 1 TFL, 1 PD, 1 FR) is as active a defensive end the Patriots have ever had. He’s all over the place and showing he’s far more versatile than what he was in St. Louis. Thinking about him, Ninkovich and Sheard at the same time is brutish.

— Definitely not Jamie Collins’ best tackling either. He did have the interception that was thrown right at him, but I feel like we spend too much time glowing about Collins and Hightower together at full strength and too little time seeing it on the field.

— Collins and Gostkowski were the guys whose mistakes stood out in the ’15 AFCCG in Denver and again in this one.

— One thing I really liked about the defense was Logan Ryan’s forced fumble two plays after Danny Amendola had coughed it up to the Dolphins. In Week 1, the defense allowed two touchdowns after offensive turnovers. Progress there with quick changes.

— Say what you will about the defense, but even when they suck they still tackle pretty well.

— If the Pats had known it was going to turn into that kind of game they might’ve kept Anthony Johnson active. Johnson was ineffective in Week 1 and the Pats didn’t foresee Tannehill throwing the ball 45 times. The pass rush was quiet or just a step late the entire second half.

— But once again, it came down to making the final play and that’s what Duron Harmon did with his game-sealing interception at the same spot he grabbed a similar one in the 2014 AFCDG against the Ravens.

 

Now it’s a quick turnaround to…(gulp)… JJ Watt and the Texans with… (gulp)… Jacoby Brissett at quarterback.

What a fascinating and likely inconsequential challenge for two games for McDaniels and Belichick. Get a rookie quarterback ready to go against, first, a team with a collection of former Pats, who know their system and likely what they’ll have to do with Brissett.

Bill O’Brien and Vrabel must be licking their chops.

Then, it’s Rex and Rob Ryan. I know that doesn’t mean as much as it once did but still. They’ll have something up their sleeve for Brissett. Or who knows, maybe Jimmy G comes back for one last encore before it’s Brady time.

Belichick and McDaniels will have to lean on Blount and the ground game. Let’s hope that doesn’t get Blount dinged. Without him, Brady would have a much more one-dimensional offense.

What a crazy turn from what we thought would be a four-game tour for Garoppolo. It was unfolding frighteningly well, and then it was over. Now the 2-0 Pats must scramble to keep things afloat for two more games.

But even a 2-2 record when Brady returns is far from fatal, especially being 1-0 in the division already.

If the Pats can take down two more AFC opponents with Brissett and welcome Brady back with a 4-0 record just give the Coach of the Year to Belichick now.