Death, Taxes, and a cliff. A cliff that analysts have been discussing for years. A cliff that could potentially end the longest reigning dynasty in NFL history. Although the cliff gets talked a lot in the media, we rarely see proof of it happening. In 2012, it began with Rob Parker claiming that after the Giants beat them in the Super Bowl, he proclaimed Brady would not reach another Super Bowl in his career. "No way. No How," he exclaimed into camera three. In 2014, Trent Dilfer stood on the field at Arrowhead and told us to face the reality of the New England Empire not being "good" anymore. Max Kellerman originated the idea of the "Cliff" in 2016. What happened after these words were spoken. Dominance. Fuel to the fire.
I could go on and on about these rants posting them in this article to give you some more entertainment, but they have already been through enough. Haven't they?
After all of these hot takes graced the airwaves and internet, Tom Brady and his militia pull of the inevitable and hoist that Lombardi high the first week in February every single year. The Patriots love being casted as the underdog. It gives them a reason to continue to do their job week in and week out.
So what has been the problem, Pitts? Why are they not defeating the Ravens or the Texans? Why is Tom looking is age? Why can't a receiver get open? Will Antonio Brown be back?
*The answer to the last question is I hope so. Yes, he messed up potentially burning a bridge with Robert Kraft. The man has brought a region of the country more joy than a a new bike could for a kid on Christmas day. The offense would be a top five offense again with his return. But, it is not up to me. It's up to Roger.
After one of the most dominant starts to an NFL season since its origins back in 1920, the New England Patriots looked like the big, bad bullies of the league once again. Not allowing a rushing touchdown for almost seven weeks. Holding opponents to under seven points per game. There is a reason Dont'a Hightower and Kyle Van Not dubbed the defense "The Boogeymen," after week three. The offense looked unstoppable with Josh Gordon fully healthy, Jules looking like this past year's Super Bowl MVP, and Antonio Brown. They went into Baltimore 8-0 looking like their usual superior selves, until they faced off against the NFL's hottest toy, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Their offense, devised by John Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman. Roman was brought back to develop an offense around Jackson. Roman channelled his inner Dr. Frankenstein and created the most powerful and electric offense we have seen since the wildcat. It confused New England. They did not look like the Boogeymen, but men covered in boogies. They seemed lost.
Since that game, Brady has not seemed himself. We see Brady getting sacked easier, throwing past his receivers, and even failing to gain yards on dump and dives. Last week against the Texans, Brady's frustration with his newly assembled receiving core became broadcasted on the national stage. Replays of his rage after rookie Jakobi Meyers missed his route. He told his offense that they needed to be more explosive and quicker off the line because they were in man coverage. It was not going to be an easy game. They were not going to be wide open. They had to work for it.
Watching Brady since I could walk, I have learned a few things about him. He expects everyone to work as hard as he does week in and week out. It does not matter the situation. He is 42 years old and putting everything on the line. The least his young, less than stellar receiving core could do is put in some extra effort to gain yards. It is not something that can be coached. It has to be instinctual.
Brady has struggled with receiving cores in his career before. Yes, he has had names such as Rob Gronkowski, Randy Moss, Troy Brown, and Aaron Hernandez. People forget that Troy Brown was no Julio Jones coming out of college. An eighth rounder out of Marshall, Troy Brown had to fight for a roster spot. At one point, Tom Brady's weapons were David Givens, Reche Caldwell, and David Patten. Oh, and can't forget about Bethel Johnson! Trust me, Brady has had worst.
But this time it seems different. Yes, his wide outs are not bad, but they still are not getting open. Pretty important to playing wide receiver if you ask me. So who's fault is it? The receivers? Brady?
Belichick and the front office are my prime suspects in this case. The Patriots began the year with a receiving core consisting of Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon, Demaryius Thomas, N'Keal Harry(first WR taken in the 1st round by the Patriots since 1998 Terry Glenn), and Antonio Brown. A lineup only Madden could build.
The Patriots did it. They assembled the greatest team ever in the 100th season of the NFL. Not quite. Thomas was traded before week 1 to the Jets. N'Keal Harry just began his NFL career missing most of the season with a nagging injury. Antonio Brown's feud with the media and Twitter became too much for Kraft too handle so he was released following sexual assault charges. Leaving only Julian Edelman to be double teamed every down while Phillip Dorsett, recently acquired Mohammad Sanu along with Meyers run around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off on the field. Brady is about to rip out hair from his head.
NOTHING! There are no major issues with this Patriots team. Do we not remember the state of the Patriots a year ago? They were about to lose two games in December for the first time since 2002. We remember this, don't we?
Yeah, I don't forget this either. I don't forget the next week when they lost to the Steelers on the road. People were canceling the season. The cliff is approaching. Then what happened?
Death, Taxes, The New England Patriots are Super Bowl Champs once again.
It is the same narrative year in and year out. Brady is another year older. Can he keep up with the new era of the game? Do we see a decline in Brady's play? When will a team learn how to beat the system the Evil Empire of New England as created? Then, the Pats dominate their opponents until they face a revolutionary team who gives them a taste of their own medicine. ESPN airs Max Kellerman and Stephen A Smith discussing if the dynasty is finally ending. Brady and his bunch work out a few kinks along the regular season. Win every playoff game they play and raise the Lombardi trophy high after winning another New England Invitational game in February. Yawn.
The Patriots began this season on an historic note. They have fell from being a top three offense to the 14th ranked offense according to Pro Football Focus. Averaging 360 yards of total offense/game. Averaging 27 points per game. Not terrible numbers, but numbers from a team who was on pace to break every record in NFL offense history. This is what happens when you attempt to mimic Madden life with reality. Off the field problems arise. No one would have predicted for Antonio Brown to make his own version of the Joker this season. Josh Gordon's injury developed into the Patriots moving on from him and shipping him off to Seattle. N'Keal Harry has not played more than four games in the league yet and is being thought of Brady's next go to when Jules is double teamed.
The Patriots were tested in the middle portion of their schedule. They lost games to teams they needed to beat. But, it is just the regular season. Bellichick left those games with more information on the two hottest QB sensations in the league than Google could store. He has already began to gameplay for facing them in the playoffs. Also, Brady's receivers inability to get open is an easy fix. Practice and signing someone off waivers. There is one free agent who has a Christmas wish of being signed by the Patriots. He apologizes for his actions and wants to hit the reset button.
The Patriots are fine. There is nothing to worry about because this is familiar waters for New England football fans. The media has talked the Patriots into maybe beating a wild card team when they have forgot to brush up on their history. Giving the Patriots the "underdog" cap only adds fuel to the fire. Right now, they are the third favorite to win the Super Bowl behind the Ravens and 49ers. Perfect. Just as Brady imagines it. Don't count out the veteran. Experience trumps youth every time.