The house was empty, save an array of pillows and blankets and assorted boxes. And a Television.
February 3, 2008...
The move had been quick and relatively painless, as five of my kids had lent a hand. We had one load left before being all the way moved out, but it would have to wait.
This early February evening arrived with great anticipation, with such hope and promise. Our new home had yet to have cable strung through it and the cable was still on in the old apartment, so we left the pillows and the TV and all of us hunkered down for what was sure to be another great New England Patriot victory, the crowing achievement of the greatest season a team had ever seen in the history of the NFL.
Three brutal hours later we sat in stunned disbelief after the New York Giants and their Street Thug Defense, with a timely assist from a creature named David Tyree, ended the Patriots' dream of being the Undefeated World Champions by scoring one of the greatest upsets in the history of the Super Bowl...
But the Patriots' dreams of perfection weren't the only thing that ended sourly that evening. New England's Dynasty, which had begun exactly 6 years earlier with a similar upset of the St. Louis Rams, came crashing to the turf, leaving the NFL in a state of flux with no single dominant team to challenge for the Dynastic title.
Not that the Patriots suddenly became a bad team, as an overall 48-16 record over the ensuing 4 years will attest. Attrition, suspect signings and Bernard Pollard all contributed to the Patriots returning to the pack, where teams such as Baltimore, Pittsburgh and the hated New York Jets were waiting like like pirhannas, poised to take bites out the New England aura...
******************
Fast Forward: February 5, 2012. Another Super Bowl, and another heart-breaking Patriot loss to those New York Giants. The game was similar in many ways to the 2007 debacle except for one major difference. The 2007 Patriots, despite their glowing 18-0 record going into the big game, was a one-trick pony - Brady to Moss - with the veterans of their previous Super Bowl victories slowing with age, while the 2011 team was a young squad that managed to reach the Super Bowl despite having a defense brutalized by injury and held together by brilliant coaching and undrafted Rookie Free Agents. This was a team on the verge of starting a new Dynasty.
Every decade has seen a dynasty, and all ended badly with the overthrown regime hitting rock bottom and never really rebounding or threatening to return to power. Sure, some of those teams - most notably San Francisco and Pittsburgh - have risen from the ashes to claim a title here or there, but none have strung together another run which could be considered dynastic...not until now.
At the beginning of the new millenium, no one saw the Patriots coming. A new owner and a new head coach quietly assembled a collection of role players that first shocked the unsuspecting Rams' squad, then proceeded to brutalize the AFC over the next 7 years, making players like Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi and Vince Wilfork into stars - but remaining with their core philosophy that high character role players was what keeps teams on top.
Now, the Patriots are one of the youngest teams in the NFL, reloading with tenured young castoffs, free agents and deft draft picks. The best news for Patriots' fans is that last season's 13-3 mark and resultant run to the Super Bowl was mostly a matter of a brilliant staff coaching up these young castoffs, constantly putting them in a position to succeed and, more than that, giving these rookie free-agents valuable real-time playing experience, which will pay huge dividends from this point forward.
The Patriots do things right. Eleven years after assuming control of the NFL and despite heartbreaking losses in battles with the leagues also-rans, the New England Patriots are clear cut dynasts - you can see it coming this time, and there isn't thing one that the rest of the league can do about it...
...that is, unless Bernard Pollard has a shot at one of their player's legs...
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
The Patriot's X-Factor
Bill Belichick is in his element.
Always being one step ahead of his peers in terms of inginuity, last season Belichick used his freakishly athletic tight ends in roles that his opposition had no answer for - and now that the rush is on to find a cure, he's ready to throw another twist into the carnage.
The NFL is a copy-cat league, and the Patriots have been trend-setters throughout Belichick's tenure. Already recognized as a defensive genius, there is little doubt that he recognizes the limitations of defenses and it is no surprise that he would come up with an offense that neutralizes any defensive formation that a foe could throw at him - and now that the rest of the league has adopted a stance against that particular offense, he is prepared to counter thier moves with a few of his own.
The success of the Patriots' 2 tight end offense has inspired many coaches to try and copy the formation, but few of these teams have athletic freaks like Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez - thier size and speed making them versatile weapons that can line up just about anywhere.
Gronkowski, of course, is a star - an overnight sensation armed with a shiny new contract and a combination of size, strength and speed that is a matchup nightmare for any defender, and his skill set requires a double team. Problem is, there are also other weapons in the offense which makes a double team on Gronkowski a virtual impossibility. Wes Welker is the best slot reciever in the league and newcomer Brandon Lloyd is a dangerous wideout with average speed, but with an ability to easily seperate from a defender and big, sticky hands that can snag a ball thrown anywhere in his vicinity.
A direct advantage of New England's complicated offensive scheme is that Belichick has been able to practice against it and study how to stop it, or at least slow it down. He has been able to employ these tactics in practice, which again puts him ahead of the game - and in the style of a mean counter puncher, he is prepared to come back at defenses with a new wrinkle - an X-Factor, if you will - that may indeed lay waste to many team's hopes.
Say hello to Aaron Hernandez.
So versatile that he can play virtually anywhere in the offense, Hernandez' skill set is what dictates to opposing defenses. A classic H-Back, he can adeptly line up as an in-line Tight End, in the slot, split wide or as a Running Back, and is equally dangerous in any of these capacities...particularly when the Patriots are in their no-huddle mode.
Several teams seem readily able to employ what is termed as a "Big Nickle" defense which, in theory, would enable a defense to neutralize the Patriots' no-huddle, multi-dimensional passing attack while ensuring that the running game is accounted for. The key to this formation is having a safety that has the ball skills to cover a tight end or wide out over the top while having the bulk and lateral movement to help in run support.
Hernandez is the key to rendering this defensive scheme obsolete before it ever gets started, coupled with the talent on the outside and Tom Brady's mastery at running the no-huddle.
Considering Gronkowski as the true Tight End, Welker in the slot and Lloyd and perhaps Gaffney spreading the field, Hernandez can be positioned to take advantage of any remaining mismatch. Too fast for a linebacker, too big and strong for a corner and with the running style of a Bull Moose, he is the most dangerous player in this offense, and quite possibly the factor that will make the Patriots the toughest offense in the league to defend against.
Always being one step ahead of his peers in terms of inginuity, last season Belichick used his freakishly athletic tight ends in roles that his opposition had no answer for - and now that the rush is on to find a cure, he's ready to throw another twist into the carnage.
The NFL is a copy-cat league, and the Patriots have been trend-setters throughout Belichick's tenure. Already recognized as a defensive genius, there is little doubt that he recognizes the limitations of defenses and it is no surprise that he would come up with an offense that neutralizes any defensive formation that a foe could throw at him - and now that the rest of the league has adopted a stance against that particular offense, he is prepared to counter thier moves with a few of his own.
The success of the Patriots' 2 tight end offense has inspired many coaches to try and copy the formation, but few of these teams have athletic freaks like Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez - thier size and speed making them versatile weapons that can line up just about anywhere.
Gronkowski, of course, is a star - an overnight sensation armed with a shiny new contract and a combination of size, strength and speed that is a matchup nightmare for any defender, and his skill set requires a double team. Problem is, there are also other weapons in the offense which makes a double team on Gronkowski a virtual impossibility. Wes Welker is the best slot reciever in the league and newcomer Brandon Lloyd is a dangerous wideout with average speed, but with an ability to easily seperate from a defender and big, sticky hands that can snag a ball thrown anywhere in his vicinity.
A direct advantage of New England's complicated offensive scheme is that Belichick has been able to practice against it and study how to stop it, or at least slow it down. He has been able to employ these tactics in practice, which again puts him ahead of the game - and in the style of a mean counter puncher, he is prepared to come back at defenses with a new wrinkle - an X-Factor, if you will - that may indeed lay waste to many team's hopes.
Say hello to Aaron Hernandez.
So versatile that he can play virtually anywhere in the offense, Hernandez' skill set is what dictates to opposing defenses. A classic H-Back, he can adeptly line up as an in-line Tight End, in the slot, split wide or as a Running Back, and is equally dangerous in any of these capacities...particularly when the Patriots are in their no-huddle mode.
Several teams seem readily able to employ what is termed as a "Big Nickle" defense which, in theory, would enable a defense to neutralize the Patriots' no-huddle, multi-dimensional passing attack while ensuring that the running game is accounted for. The key to this formation is having a safety that has the ball skills to cover a tight end or wide out over the top while having the bulk and lateral movement to help in run support.
Hernandez is the key to rendering this defensive scheme obsolete before it ever gets started, coupled with the talent on the outside and Tom Brady's mastery at running the no-huddle.
Considering Gronkowski as the true Tight End, Welker in the slot and Lloyd and perhaps Gaffney spreading the field, Hernandez can be positioned to take advantage of any remaining mismatch. Too fast for a linebacker, too big and strong for a corner and with the running style of a Bull Moose, he is the most dangerous player in this offense, and quite possibly the factor that will make the Patriots the toughest offense in the league to defend against.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Are the Patriots built just to win now, or are there more sunny days ahead?
The New England Patriots are Super Bowl contenders, and have been for the past decade, plus. And as long as Tom Brady is running the show on the field and Bill Belichick is calling the shots from the sideline, they will continue to be in the upper echilon of the NFL. They are built to win now and for the foreseeable future.
But what happens when Brady decides to hang up his cleats and Belichick hangs up his whistle?
History has shown us that Dynasties eventually fade, and the franchises become downtrodden as they attempt to restock, retool and reload - and there are no exceptions. The Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers all fell on hard times once their core of elite players and genius coaches leave the team. Is the same thing destined to happen to the latest of NFL Dynasties?
Not if Bob Kraft and Belichick have anything to say about it - which is plenty.
During their amazing run, the Patriots have 10 AFC Eastern Division Titles, 5 Conference Championships and 3 Super Bowl wins in 11 years, and again appear to be loaded and ready to defend their titles and championships, gaining a return to the biggest stage in professional sports to avenge last season's disappointing loss to the Giants in the Super Bowl.
The question is, are they doing enough forward thinking to ensure that the Patriots don't hit the skids when their reign of terror is done? One only has to look at the roster to determine the answer to that.
Undoubtedly, New England is a young team, on both sides of the ball. Their core has transformed from an aged, veteren laden group to a youthful kennel of stud players. On Defense, Belichick has mehtodically scraped the unit of role players who have passed their prime and replaced them with a diverse collection of cast-offs, top draft picks and vesatile bit players that comprise one of the youngest collections of talent in the league. It doesn't matter to Belichick if most of these players didn't pan out in previous stops, nor does it concern him that a majority of his draft picks have been questioned as "Reaches".
There is but one team that is built to accomodate a certain type of player - Unselfish, coachable and intelligent players who buy into the system and trust that the coaches will put them in the right position to succeed, and that is New England. How else do you explain last season's Super Bowl run? Sure the offense was nearly unstoppable at times, and scored many points - but the defense was comprised of the afore mentioned cast-offs whom Belichick and his staff molded into a cohesive unit that bent plenty, but rarely broke. This year's draft suggests that the Brain trust for the Patriots have tired of the Bend-but-don't-break philosophy and picked up several players who will solidify the defense into a fortress.
The defensive backs are almost all in their early to mid 20's, as are the linebackers. The line has a grizzled veteran or two, but they are players still in their prime and have just as much value as mentors as they have on the field of play.
On offense, there is Tom Brady, who still has several good years left in him, the best collection of Tight Ends in the NFL, a running back core that has yet to reach their mid 20's and an offensive line that is a nice mix of veterans and promising young stalwarts, The only question mark for the future is the aging reciever's corps, with almost all players in their 30's.
The future of the Quarterback position lies with 2nd year backup Ryan Mallet, whom is being groomed to take over for Brady in 3 or 4 years (Unless he tires of being a backup in the interim), and thier core of young players makes it possible for the Patriots to concentrate on the reciver's positions in the next few offseasons...
So, it appears that the Patriots are built to win now, and are building to continue winning in the future. New England fans can take to heart that Bob Kraft and Bill Belichick are forward thinking and aggressive in their long-range outlook, and the Patriots reign in the AFC can continue for many years to come.
But what happens when Brady decides to hang up his cleats and Belichick hangs up his whistle?
History has shown us that Dynasties eventually fade, and the franchises become downtrodden as they attempt to restock, retool and reload - and there are no exceptions. The Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers all fell on hard times once their core of elite players and genius coaches leave the team. Is the same thing destined to happen to the latest of NFL Dynasties?
Not if Bob Kraft and Belichick have anything to say about it - which is plenty.
During their amazing run, the Patriots have 10 AFC Eastern Division Titles, 5 Conference Championships and 3 Super Bowl wins in 11 years, and again appear to be loaded and ready to defend their titles and championships, gaining a return to the biggest stage in professional sports to avenge last season's disappointing loss to the Giants in the Super Bowl.
The question is, are they doing enough forward thinking to ensure that the Patriots don't hit the skids when their reign of terror is done? One only has to look at the roster to determine the answer to that.
Undoubtedly, New England is a young team, on both sides of the ball. Their core has transformed from an aged, veteren laden group to a youthful kennel of stud players. On Defense, Belichick has mehtodically scraped the unit of role players who have passed their prime and replaced them with a diverse collection of cast-offs, top draft picks and vesatile bit players that comprise one of the youngest collections of talent in the league. It doesn't matter to Belichick if most of these players didn't pan out in previous stops, nor does it concern him that a majority of his draft picks have been questioned as "Reaches".
There is but one team that is built to accomodate a certain type of player - Unselfish, coachable and intelligent players who buy into the system and trust that the coaches will put them in the right position to succeed, and that is New England. How else do you explain last season's Super Bowl run? Sure the offense was nearly unstoppable at times, and scored many points - but the defense was comprised of the afore mentioned cast-offs whom Belichick and his staff molded into a cohesive unit that bent plenty, but rarely broke. This year's draft suggests that the Brain trust for the Patriots have tired of the Bend-but-don't-break philosophy and picked up several players who will solidify the defense into a fortress.
The defensive backs are almost all in their early to mid 20's, as are the linebackers. The line has a grizzled veteran or two, but they are players still in their prime and have just as much value as mentors as they have on the field of play.
On offense, there is Tom Brady, who still has several good years left in him, the best collection of Tight Ends in the NFL, a running back core that has yet to reach their mid 20's and an offensive line that is a nice mix of veterans and promising young stalwarts, The only question mark for the future is the aging reciever's corps, with almost all players in their 30's.
The future of the Quarterback position lies with 2nd year backup Ryan Mallet, whom is being groomed to take over for Brady in 3 or 4 years (Unless he tires of being a backup in the interim), and thier core of young players makes it possible for the Patriots to concentrate on the reciver's positions in the next few offseasons...
So, it appears that the Patriots are built to win now, and are building to continue winning in the future. New England fans can take to heart that Bob Kraft and Bill Belichick are forward thinking and aggressive in their long-range outlook, and the Patriots reign in the AFC can continue for many years to come.
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