THE New England Patriots are the gold standard in the NFL. They have been for the past 18 years, to be exact. Ironically, that's when Tom Brady came to the Patriots. Since that time, the beanpole of a kid that walked into the NFL combine and many expected to go un-drafted, has turned himself into an All-Pro quarterback, a multiple time NFL MVP, one of the most clutch playoff performers the game has ever seen, and most importantly, a Super Bowl champion.
A FIVE time Super Bowl champion, might I add. But, to Bill Belichick and his team, the past doesn't matter. It never has, and it never will. All that matters is what's out on the field in front on them right now, and this Sunday, it will be the Philadelphia Eagles. A franchise still in search of it's first taste of glory, something the Patriots have tasted multiple times over the last three years. Ironically, the last time the Patriots faced the Eagles on the game's biggest stage in 2005, they clinched their third title in four years, cementing themselves as the NFL's next dynasty. Now, fat forward to 2018, and the same coach, quarterback and owner, are looking to accomplish that same feat again. Here's why on Sunday night, we'll all see Tom Brady hoisting his sixth Lombardi trophy. The Eagles current roster is filled with young up and coming stars, but to put it into perspective, let me offer this stat: Nick Foles is in search of only his third playoff win ever on Sunday, while Brady is in search of his sixth ring and 28th playoff win. If someone says that experience doesn't matter in games like this, they either don't watch football or they're lying. Coaching experience matters as well, and it doesn't bode well for Doug Peterson and his staff that are going up against the best coach to ever live, Bill Belichick. Not to mention, his staff that is extra motivated to win not only for the franchise, but for themselves as well. Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia are both expected to head off in different directions in pursuit of a head coaching job. To most people, the coach and quarterback are the two single most important aspects of a football team, and Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have been doing better than everybody, and for longer than everybody. Experience alone will serve the Patriots well on Sunday, heck, basically the whole team was in this exact spot last season against the Falcons. Now, let's get into the stats and really break this game down. No quarterback in NFL history has ever won the passing title or the MVP and the Super Bowl in the same season before. Brady will be looking to break that trend, and he has a very good chance. The Eagles defense only intercepted opposing quarterbacks 9 times while their quarterbacks turned it over 19 times. New England also has the number 2 offense in the league when it comes to scoring points (458 regular season), and Brady takes care of the ball as well as anyone, so, New England's plan going into this game should be the exact same as it was for Blake Bortles: Make Foles throw it to beat you. If he can sling it across the field all night long and do it well, then hats off to him, he earned it. But, what the Patriots can not do, is let Foles beat you with his feet, and trick plays that Pederson is famous for. If they can contain Files, New England wins easily. Because there's no way, Brady doesn't go down without a fight. My final score prediction: Patriots 31 Eagles 21
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Here we are again. One game. Two teams. One champion. The Super Bowl. The biggest spectacle in all of sports, millions upon millions of fans will be tuned into NBC in two weeks to watch history. No matter who wins, history will be made. On one side, you have a franchise full of young hopefuls, with a fanbase that has been in search for a taste of glory ever since the Super Bowl era begun. Then, on the other, you have a franchise who's tasted the glory five times in an 18 year span, a run of greatness that will likely never be replicated, spear-headed by the greatest quarterback and coach to ever step foot on an NFL field. Trying to add to their already cemented legacy as the greatest duo this league has ever known, and capture that coveted sixth Lombardi trophy.
This game is a re-match of Super Bowl XXXIX, when the Patriots defeated Philadelphia 24-21 off a game saving interception by Rodney Harrison. That game clinched the Patriots third Super Bowl in four years, and propelled them into the dynasty that few expected would ever become what it is today. But it has. Now, here we are again. The Patriots are looking to once again, capture their third title in four years, at the expense of the Eagles. Which would be the second time in the Brady/Belichick era. For Tom Brady, he's looking for his sixth ring, something no player in the history of the NFL has ever done. For Bill Belichick, he's looking to capture his eigth Super Bowl ring as a coach in the NFL, and sixth with the Patriots. For the Eagles, back-up Nick Foles is looking to do the impossible and win his first Super Bowl and prove himself as a legitimate big-time player. Coach Doug Pederson is looking to silence the doubters and out coach the best to ever do it, Bill Belichick and bring the city of Philadelphia it's first ever Lombardi trophy. Both teams should look at this game as Deja Vu. For the Eagles, they can't afford to let history repeat itself. For New England, the last time they played the Eagles in the Super Bowl, it was the last game for coordinators Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel. Now, fast-forward to 2018, this is expected to be the last game for Patriots coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, as both are expected to take head coaching positions with the Colts and Lions, respectively. The Patriots will open the Super Bowl as 5.5 point favorites over the Eagles, and for good reason. Why you ask? Because you can't spell Lombardi trophy, without Tom Brady. That's who the Eagles will have to go through to get to their first championship. The same man that just put together a historic comeback against one of the all-time great defenses the NFL has ever seen, with ten stitches in his throwing hand, down by 10, with 10 minutes left, in the AFC Championship. The man just knows how to win the big ones. He's done it time and time again, including the last four times the Patriots have trailed by 10 or more in the playoffs, they've come back to win ('14 Divisional Round, SB XLIX, SB LI, '18 AFC Championship) The Eagles are a great, young team with a lot of strengths, but, as the great Ric Flair once said: "To be the man, you have to beat the man" That's going to be a tall task for the Eagles, but no doubt, either way, no matter who wins, this will be a game we talk about for a long, long time. "We Stand United" Those are the words of the Patriots legendary trio of Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady in response to the article written by ESPN's Seth Wickersham titled, For Kraft, Brady and Belichick, is this the beginning of the end? Now, once again, just one day ahead of the NFL's Wild Card Weekend, a weekend in which the Patriots aren't even playing, they are once again the center of the sports universe. Wickersham attempts to highlight all the 'troubles' that have been surrounding the Patriots this season and claims that all these incidents will result in a historic collapse of one of the greatest dynasties the sports world has ever known. The problems Wickersham brings to attention is the power struggle between Tom Brady's close friend and business partner, Alex Guerrero and Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick. Belichick overheard players talking about going to Alex in order to not upset Brady, instead of seeing the regular team trainers, like he preferred. Now, obviously this has some truth to it, as Belichick ultimately banned from the team plane as well as the sidelines during games. Plus, he is now only allowed to treat Tom Brady in his Gillette Stadium office. We already knew this was an issue, but nothing big enough that it would throw off the entire course of the team's success. An issue that's on a bigger scale is the trading of backup quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo. The article stated that Brady saw Garoppolo as a threat to his starting job, and that Brady went as far as to go to Kraft to force Bill Belichick to trade him. Wickersham also said Brady showed no mentorship to Garoppolo or Jacoby Brissett, who was traded to the Colts earlier in the season. Now, whether you believe that story to be true or not, is up to you. But, I'll just leave this here. Yeah, really looks like there's a rift there.
As far as Brady feeling threatened goes, it's completely ridiculous. Think about it. You have someone that's held a job for 18 years. Day in, and day out, you know you'll always be the guy and you mean everything to the organization you play for, the fans, and even the region, and you're possibly the greatest athlete of all-time. Then, all of a sudden, this un-proven, 25 year old kid with no experience comes in and all of a sudden he's the next guy? Wouldn't you be a little upset too? Come on. It's bogus. Belichick even stated in an interview after the trade went down, that the Patriots had developed the best QB situation on the league over the past four years, which is true, but it "just wasn't sustainable". Which is also true, given that Garoppolo would have been a free agent at the end of the year, and no doubt would want to get a hefty contract thrown his way. If you had to put yourselves in Belichick's shoes, you wouldn't have a fun time. The closest we'll ever get to making that decision is whether or not to offer Jimmy G $35 million in Madden 18. Imagine having to make that decision for real. Good luck. That's why Belichick is Belichick. For 18 years we've all said, "In Bill we trust", well now it's time to trust him again. Now, back to the article. But, timeout for a second. Wickersham says in his article "according to multiple sources" many times, virtually in each paragraph, but never cites ONE source. Sorry, but last time I checked, in order for your information to be believable, you need some sources. Wickersham also uses the term "Patriots staffer" to try and validate his sources. As far as we know, that "staffer" could be the water boys, the Militia Men, or the damn concession stand workers. Again, no sources? No credibility. That leads me to the final point I'll make about this false truth published by ESPN. The so-called "rift" between Brady and Belichick that started back with the Guerrero controversy and apparently boiled over with the trade of Jimmy Garoppolo. Wickersham says that Belichick would come down harshly on Brady in front of the whole team, and after the Divisional Playoff game last season in which the Patriots defeated the Houston Texans but, Brady only completed 18 of his 38 pass attempts and threw two interceptions. "This will get us beat". Belichick said. Wickersham also proclaimed that Brady was upset that Belichick didn't give him the "Patriot of the Week" award. Timeout. Are we serious with this? We think the same man that worked his tail off from being the 7th string QB at Michigan, to the 199th pick in the draft, to an un-known kid in the NFL, to the best of all-time, is now upset by not winning a POTW award? It's laughable. We've seen it time and time again, after SpyGate in '07. Perfect season and a Super Bowl appearance. DeflateGate in '14. Won the Super Bowl two weeks later and then again in '16 after Brady served an un-warranted suspension. When will they learn? This is just simply yet another piece of bulletin board material for Brady, Belichick and the Patriots. They will be just fine, and they will be focused and ready to go next Saturday night at Gillette Stadium. I think I pretty much speak for all of New England when I say this. "We Stand United" |