Well, you guys know the deal. The Patriots have been kicking our ass for over a decade and Sunday’s game marks another opportunity for us to finally get rid of our generation’s 0 for the 70’s. Of course, the Pats have had another stellar season. So this week on Know your enemy, we are joined by the fine folks at Foxboro Blog to tell us why they are so fricken good. I ask them about Tom Brady’s year, picking between Brady and Belichick, the defense and much more. Now, if you want to see my responses to his questions, go over and check out their site.
Q: How shocked are you at how Brady has performed since the Randy Moss deal? Who gets the credit for Brady’s numbers? Also, do you ever see Moss returning to the Pats?
A:. I am not as shocked as most people because without Randy Moss, this offense and this entire team has bought into a thing I like to call a TEAM dynamic. 11 guys playing as a nucleus. Moss was a hindrance to this team and I noticed that in Week 2 when Brady was forcing passes to #81 in the 2nd half, causing two interceptions. I give the credit to Tom Brady and only him because in my opinion, Brady has done more with less than any quarterback in the history of the NFL. I mean to have people put this year right up there with 2007 is an accomplishment in itself. He has 31 TD’s and 4 INT’s with two rookie tight ends, young running backs, and two veterans recovering from ACL surgeries. I don’t see Moss returning to the Patriots because I feel he is a quitter. Frankly, I do not see who would pick him up next year after Minnesota and the Titans taking mighty downfalls after their acquisition of Moss.
Q: Who is more important to the Patriots, Brady or Belichick?
A:That is a tough question, but I would have to go with the head coach. Belichick has done great things in Foxboro, including an 11-5 record in 2008 without Brady at the helm. Now, this does not take away any of Brady’s accomplishments because it is not a system that you can plug anybody into. Belichick plays a huge impact on the defensive side of the ball because they can put anybody in and they can thrive as shown by the vast amount of rookies this year. Belichick gets a slight edge over Brady.
Q: If you look at the stats, it seems like the Patriots defense has had a very poor year. However, even if the defense gives up chunks of yardage, they seem to always force key turnovers at the right time. Are you at all concerned about the defense or are they improving as the season goes on?
A: I am not concerned by this defense compared to the national media’s level of concern. A lot of posts I read say that New England can’t win the Super Bowl because of this defense. My question to them is why not? This team has beaten every tough playoff team on their schedule and it has been by forcing turnovers. Against Baltimore, San Diego, Indy, and now Green Bay, the defense has come up with the big turnover at the end of games. When watching this defense, you need to use the Eye Test instead of looking at the statistics. Devin McCourty is the defensive rookie of the year in the NFL, if not Suh and they are quietly bringing a good pass rush. They quietly had five sacks on Matt Flynn last week. I know its only Matt Flynn, but that’s a lot from a team that presumably can’t bring pressure.
Q: How in the world did Deion Branch become “the man” again?
A: Deion Branch has become one of “the men” in this offense because he has re-found the connection he had with Brady during those Super Bowl years. He has been a good fantasy option especially for me all season. He is a great route runner and with previous knowledge of the system, that allowed Branch’s transition back to New England to be as smooth as possible. When healthy, Branch can play. Remember back in 2006 when Brady was willing to take less money to keep Deion Branch as a Patriot. Now, we know why.
Q: What are the Patriots strengths and weaknesses?
A: Strength: The passing game. When you haven’t turned the ball over in six games, that has to be considered a strength to this team. When they have a balanced offense with Green-Ellis and Woodhead, it allows Brady’s trademark play action pass to be effective.
Weakness: The defensive line: On Sunday, the Packers ran for over 100 yards with Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn of all people. Why was this possible? Well, other than Vince Wilfork, the Patriots are weak in depth at that position. Myron Pryor, Ron Brace, and Mike Wright missed the game against Green Bay and could miss the Buffalo game this weekend. If that is the case, Fred Jackson and C.J Spiller could run the ball and control the clock. This allows Ryan Fitzpatrick to be the game manager and have a solid day offensively.
Q: Who do you got Sunday and why?
A: This game will not be easy, but I think New England got their test last week against the Packers when they needed it. Now, they will go into this game with one goal: To win home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs. The Bills gave the Pats a huge test in Gillette Stadium last meeting and Buffalo has won 4 of 6 and should be taken seriously. Stevie Johnson can make some plays, but I think Brady and company get a close win in the 4th quarter in windy Buffalo.
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