Pats Posits

Pats Posits: The Calm Before the Explosion

February 28, 2017 by Mike Dussault

Have you enjoyed your 23 days of Super Bowl championship bliss? Are you ready to put it down and feel terrible about the decisions the Patriots are going to make over the next month, wasting the rest of Tom Brady’s window, not addressing the pass rush or the deep threats or whatever else the pundits tell you is the Patriots biggest weakness? Well, here it comes.

I kid of course. If you’re reading this blog you probably know that by now. Unlike many Boston outlets, I don’t try to tell you how wrong the Patriots are about everything, I just sit back and enjoy the craziness. And make no mistake, there is craziness coming. It wouldn’t be a Patriots offseason without craziness, and this spring will be no different.

I’ve dipped a toe into free agency (here and here), and barely even cracked the books on the draft yet. The real reason? Well, it’s a major one, possibly the biggest development in the history of the blog.

So strap up for more on that and everything else as the start of the 2017 league year is rapidly approaching.

Pats Posits: The Cold, Dead Offseason

February 20, 2017 by Mike Dussault

We’re now two weeks removed from the Patriots’ Super Bowl 51 victory and the reality of the offseason is starting to sink in. The other thing that is sinking in? How much that Super Bowl 51 victory meant and its place in Patriots history.

From here on out with Belichick and Brady, it’s all icing on the cake. You know that they’ll take at least a couple more major swings at number six, and maybe the team will stay healthy enough to get it. But they got number five, in uber dramatic fashion, and there’s simply no denying the greatness of this run, no matter how hard anyone wants to bang the ‘Gates drum.

As we slip into offseason mode there’s a certain calm that comes after winning a legacy-cementing Super Bowl. Yeah there are a bunch of free agents and a bunch of cap space, but at this point, it’s like whatever, BB’s got this.

All we know for sure is that it will be interesting, maybe more so than usual.

More on the coming offseason and the rest of the Super Bowl fallout in the Posits.

Pats Posits: Saving Their Best for Probably-Not-Their Last

February 6, 2017 by Mike Dussault

In their most thrilling Super Bowl yet, the New England Patriots came back from 25 points to beat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime, 34-28, cementing Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s place as the greatest Coach-QB duo in history.

A ton of new records were set or tied, including Most Super Bowls Won by a Head Coach (Bill Belichick, 5) Most Super Bowl Games (Tom Brady/Belichick, 7), most receptions (James White, 14), and Largest Deficit Overcome (25 points).

It’s taken me hours to wrap my head around this incredible victory and who knows how long it will take to fully grasp what unfolded. I never would’ve thought Brady’s performance in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 49 could be topped, but topped it was. But not before I had just about thrown in the towel.

At 28-3 in the middle of the third quarter, I dug into what I had hoped would be my Super Bowl victory cake. I was resigned that the Pats just met up with a red hot Falcons team and played their worst game of the season. Maybe they were bound to get blown out in one?

But like they always do, the Patriots never flinched. Once they cleaned up the mistakes — drops, ill-timed penalties and worst of all, turnovers — and figured out the Falcons’ coverage, Brady moved the ball at will.

Most impressive was that the legendary comeback was such a group effort. So many guys came through with clutch plays — White, Edelman, Hightower and Flowers are just three that jump out to me right away, but it was a team comeback, as much as it was Brady’s brilliance.

I can and will write thousands of words about this game, so let’s get a jump on all the analysis to come with the Posits.

Pats Posits: SB51 Here We Come

January 29, 2017 by Mike Dussault

Bill Belichick Super Bowl 36

Here it is folks, the week we all live for, it’s Super Bowl week.

I spent the weekend getting sucked into more Patriots historical pieces than I expected. First came the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 49. For the first time I was able to watch the Kearse Katch happen again. That moment always brought quick-onset Pats pit in the stomach, until now. Now I’m pretty confident Butler will in fact intercept the ball every time afterwards.

Malcolm Butler flashed not just on the interception, but on multiple plays before that. It was a nice reminder of how well he played that entire season, with plenty of glimpses toward what he would become.

Then came Do Your Job, and I still fast forwarded through the Deflategate bullshit.

Bill Belichick’s A Football Life came next, part one followed immediately by part two. I was amazed how much I’d forgotten, and truly what a disaster the 2009 season was. Every Kraft and Belichick interaction was awkward as ever, while the CaserioBot was still on version 3.1.

I even watched about 38 seconds combined of the Super Bowl 42 and 46 recap shows. Progress.

Combined, it put the Belichick/Brady run in new perspective now as they head toward their seventh together. It was a good week of prep on the Falcons, it will be a big circus this week.

Let’s enjoy every moment of it!
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Pats Posits: Year of the GOAT

January 22, 2017 by Mike Dussault

The Patriots are headed to their NFL-record ninth Super Bowl after capturing their seventh AFC Championship by handily defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-17. It was a signature Tom Brady win, as he set the franchise playoff yardage record (384 yards, three TDs, 0 INTs) in his NFL-record 24th playoff victory.

Chris Hogan had the game of his life with nine catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns while battling through a thigh injury. Julian Edelman was reliable as ever with eight catches for 118 yards, keeping the chains moving at critical moments like he always does.

After I spent all week pumping the Pats’ diversity and depth on offense, they instead put on a surgical dissection of the Steelers’ defense leaning heavily on just Hogan and Edelman.

The running game that had been a consistent staple all season was largely missing until the very end. They had just 57 yards rushing. But it was all they needed as Brady picked apart the Steelers’ secondary like we’ve become used to seeing.

The turning point in the game came on the second play when Le’Veon Bell tweaked his groin and was done for the day. The Steelers lost the catalyst of their playoff run and once they fell behind on then scoreboard it was an impossible uphill climb.

The Patriots defense, facing questions about their level of competition all season, stepped up with a gem. Shutting down the run (54 yards allowed) was the first key. Stopping Antonio Brown was the second (seven catches, 77 yards). Two crucial goal-line defensive stands and two takeaways showed how good the underrated Pats’ defense really is.

All in all this was their best performance of the season, especially given the stage. And now, they’re on to Super Bowl 51 to face a Falcons team that is on fire. It’s hard to believe it sometimes, but the Patriots’ dynasty is still very much alive and well, and almost old enough for a driver’s license.

More on the Steelers, Falcons and legacy in the Posits…

Pats Posits: We’re Back in the AFCCG!

January 14, 2017 by Mike Dussault

The Patriots overcame three giveaways, pulling away late to close out the Houston Texans 34-16 in the AFC Divisional round, just as american football betting thought they would. The Pats now await the winner of the Steelers and Chiefs as they head to their record sixth-straight AFC Championship game.

The Patriots struggled to find a rhythm on offense, but Dion Lewis was a standout, setting an NFL Playoff record by scoring touchdowns rushing, receiving and on a kickoff return. The Patriots have been managing Lewis since the summer with this moment in mind. Now, when it all counted most, Lewis was the go-to playmaker out of the backfield.

The defense was every bit as suffocating as we expected it to be against an impotent Houston offense, holding the slim Patriots lead throughout the game and coming up with three interceptions of Brock Osweiler. Logan Ryan had the game of his career, recording three passes defensed, an interception, a sack, a QB hit, a tackle-for-loss and seven tackles.

There’s plenty to dissect, but most importantly, the Patriots are one game away from the Super Bowl.

Pats Posits: It’s Go Time

January 9, 2017 by Mike Dussault

The Houston Texans will come to Foxborough for the second time this season for an AFC Divisional playoff game against the top-seeded Patriots. The Texans are littered with former Patriots, and the teams are now playing for the third time in two seasons. Plenty of familiarity.

I wanted to avoid having to take so many old friends out to the woodshed. But it has to be done and TFB and BB are just the two cold-hearted motherfuckers to do it.

In September it was Jacoby Brissett, who was injured and played through a thumb injury that would eventually land him on IR. The defense had their most complete game of the season, pitching their first shutout since 2009.

The playoffs are here. The opponent is set. It’s go time in the Posits…