Oh how the mighty fall.
After the New England
Patriots started their season 10-0 averaging 32 points per game during that
span, fans spoke about the Patriots as the best team ever to grace the game of
football. Most agreed that the Patriots could trounce any opponent that stood
in the way of “Tom Terrific” and the gang.
Now the improbable and
what most said would never happen has occurred. The Patriots have lost to the
Miami Dolphins, their last two games in a row, and four of their last six
games.
As I listened to sports
radio throughout the week, I remember radio personalities Tony Massarotti and
Adam Jones say that there was no way that the Patriots could lose their last
two games of the season. Boston Globe writer Chris Gasper, who appears
occasionally on the radio show “Felger & Mazz” said on air that the
Patriots could easily beat the Dolphins with half of their reserves in the game,
that he believed the Patriots would easily defeat the Dolphins.
Well the Patriots lost
the game Mr. Massarotti and Mr. Jones, and they lost playing every available
starter Mr. Gasper.
The lack of offensive
weapons are not to blame for this historical collapse. The Patriots have who
some call the best quarterback to ever play the game in Tom Brady and a tight
end who will probably retire as the best ever to play his position in Rob
Gronkowski. Sure the losses of Dion Lewis and Julian Edelman hurt their
offensive production, but it cannot be the only reason for such a collapse.
They are still the fourth best offense in the NFL and ranked second in passing.
There are other reasons
to blame. The Patriots loss against the Philadelphia Eagles solely because of
their lack of efficiency on special teams by allowing the Eagles to score on a
blocked punt and on a punt return. The loss also includes one of the weirdest
plays Bill Belichick has ever concocted by allowing defensive back Nate Ebner
to drop-kick the ball on a kick-off.
It came down to a terrible
call on the coin flip in the Patriots overtime loss to the Jets. The Broncos
rallied from a 21-7 fourth quarter deficit to beat the Patriots in week 12 when
the Patriots were without their four top targets.
So maybe part of it is
unfortunate luck on the Patriots end, combined with some bad calls. Surely it doesn’t
help that Brady’s has to throw to Brandon LaFell who has dropped 50% of his
passes either.
It looks bad for the
Patriots right now. Their offense looks defeated, their defense beat up. Losing
four of their last six doesn’t help the situation. I sure don’t feel the same
about the team as I did in weeks 11, five, week one even. But they certainly
are not out of the Super Bowl hunt.
The two wild card teams
should be considered so called “weak” playoffs teams, along with division
winner Houston Texans. The Kansas City Chiefs played San Diego twice, Cleveland
once, Baltimore once and a not so tough NFC North division. The Pittsburgh
Steelers have lost a couple questionable games this season and once to the
Patriots as well, albeit coming during week one of the season. The Steelers
defense can show up one game and not the next. The Texans are well, the Texans.
I forgot to even mention
the Cincinnati Bengals. Prone to horrendous playoff efforts, the team could be
without quarterback Andy Dalton once again for the divisional round of the
playoffs.
Even though it seems
bleak in New England, it isn’t as bad as it feels and seems. I would still put
the Patriots as the AFC favorites to make it to the Super Bowl. The recent
losing streak, as well as the injuries suffered just create a fog not a
blizzard over the path to Super Bowl 50 for the Patriots.
So maybe the might haven’t
fallen.
Maybe they are just under
repair.
