Rex week.
Gold. 0-2, back against the wall, dials up a big winner against the Cardinals last weekend. Cocky Rex is the best Rex, especially coming into Foxborough. Couldn’t have written it up any better. Love him, hate him, flat out despise him, but the entertainment factor is real. It’s always great to see him beat his big old chest and pull on Belichick’s cape leading up to every matchup. I can’t even think of a word to describe it…
Thanks, Al. Now let’s get into some links of the week.
Staying on the Rex theme, Nora Princiotti (Boston Globe) takes a hammer to the comical notion of a rivalry between the Patriots/Belichick and Rex, which, I think, is still a thing?
“The coaches are connected by a division and by Ryan’s persistent desire to be known as Belichick’s heel, exhibited through years of public chirping…Entering Sunday, Ryan has lost nine of his last 10 meetings with Belichick after starting 3-2 with the Jets teams he took to AFC Championship games in 2009 and ’10. Ryan hasn’t had a winning season since.”
In other words, this “rivalry” has been about as competitive as your windshield wiper and a fly.
Speaking of competition, it appears Bill Belichick and co. can’t go but a year without gaining that competitive edge! Crazy, and I thought the Patriots were just plain better prepared and more talented? Shame on me. Chris Chase (Fox Sports) published a piece for the N.Y. Post calling for the NFL to change the new kickoff rule, because BB and the Pats have blatantly exploited it in the early goings of the season:
“The Patriots have kicked off 18 times this season, and haven’t had a team start a drive from beyond the 25-yard line once. Stephen Gostkowski has 10 touchbacks. The other eight led to returns inside the 25 and, on Thursday night, two fumbles. Check and mate…Thirteen teams have a lower touchback-percentage than the Pats but Belichick is doing it with more panache. It’s purely intentional.”
“The Horror…the horror…” (Marlon Brando, Apocalypse Now)
Give me a break. I’d be happy to tear this to shreds, but old friend and colonel of wall defense Jerry Thornton (WEEI) beat me to it here. If I could, I’d quote the whole damn article. Jerry hits the nail on the head throughout, and I really recommend the read. Small snippet here:
“Change the rules to take away the Patriots advantage. Level the playing field. Redistribute the wealth. Take from the rich and give to the poor. Stop rewarding achievement. Give everybody a participation ribbon and the Colts an “AFC Finalist” banner. Then we can all pretend the Patriots have some unfair advantage.”
Colts talk? Now the bloods boiling…
Now I’m fired up, but not quite as fired up as Tom Curran (CSN) was when he dropped this grenade on Wednesday. Curran pulled an Al Pacino Scarface move in this one. Say hello to his little friend:
“It was amusing last year to watch three franchises that were at the forefront of the torchlit stampede against the Patriots — Indianapolis, Baltimore and the Giants — face plant to varying degrees. But no one could have expected the schadenfreude to continue even with Brady down. If the Patriots deal Jimmy Garoppolo, the team will have recouped the first-round pick the league confiscated and they’ll be able to do so because of the showcase that came as a result of Brady’s suspension. Meanwhile, Jacoby Brissett has given feedback that he’s very much on the right track and Brady’s avoided a month of wear-and-tear on a 39-year-old body.”
Sounds about right. For all the credit Jimmy, Jacoby, and Belichick have gotten over the first month of the season, I’d argue Josh McDaniels has been just as, if not more important. His play calling/game planning has been nothing short of spectacular. Yes, there’s been a heavy dose of power football with the inexperience at the QB position, but the creativity and evolution has made it anything but predictable.
The Julian Edelman/Martellus Bennett end-arounds, the designed QB runs and option plays with Brissett. Josh has pushed all of the right buttons thus far, and shown just how talented of an offensive mind he is in an extremely difficult position. It’s not a matter of if he gets his next shot as a head guy, it’s when, and in all likelihood, it’ll be this offseason.
Dan Pompei (Bleacher Report) wrote a phenomenal piece and took a deep dive into McDaniels’ first experience with Denver, and what he’s learned since. It’s a longer piece, but a really effective one, intertwining stories on and off the field. Here’s to hoping McDaniels goes somewhere we can all cheer for him (read: Andy Luck is really good, Josh, but just say no…).
Friendly reminder: 8 days…
Can’t wait.
But for now, we’re on to Buffalo.