Greater Expectations

Wishful thinking has become anticipation. I’m trying to manage my expectations, really I am, but then I ask myself: Why bother?

 

Guys like Tom Brady don’t need extra motivation but guys like Tom Brady will happily throw one more log on that fire that burns within. Brady will say he hasn’t been paying attention to all the chatter about chipping his face off the Mount Rushmore of NFL quarterbacks but you know Giselle has.

Tom: These crab cakes are delicious, Gi. Is this your mom’s recipe?

Giselle: I want you to make that bobinho Sam Monsoon get down on his knees and apologize to you. You should make it look like you were taking it easy on them in 2007, you know?

Tom: Monson. It’s Sam Monson.

Giselle: Whatever. The world needs to see him for the tolo that he is. Did you tell Danny Amendola that if he drops a pass in the AFC Championship this year that I’m going to cut him?

Tom: I’ll tell him tomorrow, I promise.

You’ve got to believe the offensive lineman know, too. And they’ve got to be getting tired of all that “historically bad” and “worst since statistics existed” commentary from the pigskin mathematicians. The receivers must have had enough of the chopped liver comparisons by now, too. “Brady needs weapons!” the torch-bearing mobs yell from the commenter’s section. The consensus seems to be that New England should trade any combination of Amendola, Aaron Dobson, Kenbrell Thompkins, Josh Boyce, Ryan Mallett and a 1^st round pick for Andre Johnson.

Every offensive player on the Patriots’ roster should have a chip on their shoulder. That includes Rob Gronkowski who has to have noticed all the news around Jimmy Graham as the best tight end in football.

Quick Aside: Can you mention Graham in the same sentence as John Mackey, Mike Ditka or Mark Bavaro? No. So don’t talk to me about him being the best tight end in the NFL. He’s a wide receiver. Pay the man. Let’s move on.

As for the defense, I wouldn’t say they have a chip on their shoulder so much as the incipient belief they have the talent to become a dominant force. You know what defense wins? That’s right. Championships!

Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner have been dominating OTAs and yes it’s only OTAs but it would be bad news if they weren’t dominating, wouldn’t it? New England has an embarrassment of riches at defensive back thanks to the two free agent signing, pushing part-time starters Alfonzo Dennard to the nickel and dime packages and impressive second-year DB Logan Ryan to take some snaps at safety. Duron Harmon played well enough as a rookie to pencil his name in next to Devin McCourty, already one of the best safeties in the NFL and just entering his prime.

They have top tier talent in their starting linebackers with Jerod Mayo (already back on the practice field), Dont’a Hightower and electric second-year talent Jamie Collins. Count me as one of the millions expecting Collins to develop into one of the transcendent talents in the NFL. His combination of size and athleticism make him not just a three down linebacker but a player capable of dominating on all three downs. The recent addition of free agent James Anderson and the development of second-year backer Steve Beauharnais look to provide the depth the citizens of Patriots Nation have all been wondering about.

If healthy (the two most dreaded words in every Middlesex village and farm), the defensive line will be stout in multiple fronts. Big Vince Wilfork is already moving easily on the dance floor though he’s yet to be seen for long on the practice field. Vince, Tommy Kelly, intriguing 1^st round pick Dominique Easley, enigma wrapped in a riddle Armond Armstead, late bloomer Sealver Siliga, surprising free agent find Chris Jones (and maybe former pro bowler Kevin Williams) give the Patriots an impressive array of talent at defensive tackle.

Rob Ninkovich and nascent pro bowl talent Chandler Jones at defensive end give the Pats’ D a solid pair of starters at defensive end but they need to play less in the regular season to ensure they are fresh for the playoffs. The Pats need free agent Will Smith’s ACL to be sound, rookie Zach Moore to step up from DIII competition to the NFL level and second-year player Michael Buchanan to build on an inconsistent rookie year.

Granted, injury recovery questions must be answered for Wilfork, Kelly, Easley, Smith, Armstead and to a lesser extent Mayo. The good news is that given the depth of talent at defensive tackle, the Patriots don’t need everyone to get healthy.

I think Revis’ presence has a knock on effect on everyone on the defensive side of the ball, just like Brady on the offensive side. Players like Revis and Brady demand that everyone around them aspire to greatness, to give their all and their best. To work every bit as hard as they do. To play every snap like it may be their very last. To accept nothing short of victory. For nearly a decade, the Patriots have been playing for the Super Bowl; not for a winning record, not for a playoff spot, New England plays for the Super Bowl. Some teams can finish 10-6-0 and a wild card round loss and call that season a success. That would be a disappointment in Foxborough. The 2014 season is yet to be played but it’s hard not to think this may be one of the best rosters Bill Belichick has put together in his fifteenth year in New England.

Yeah. I said it.

Okay, it’s only OTAs. There are other good teams in the NFL and their fans are probably thinking the same thing about their team that I’m thinking about the Patriots.

The difference?

I’m right, of course!