Hope Floats Like A Butterfly

Hope is a funny thing. Funny strange, not funny ha-ha. Or maybe both. Boldly stating that Aaron Dobson can provide a legitimate deep threat as some kind of mojo inducing incantation may have your friends saying, "Really? Do we even need a deep threat? We just won a Super Bowl, you know. Are you drunk right now?" but if you think out loud that Josh Boyce could start in the slot over Danny Amendola and be a YAC machine well that's hilarious.

And, okay, I am a little drunk right now.

 

The Patriots have put a ring on 2014. We're on to mini-camp! I'm totally psyched. We're all over the Darrelle Revis break up, am I right? If you've been paying attention for the last 15 years, you had to see Vince Wilfork playing in Texas for ex-Pat Bill O'Brien weeks before it all went down. It's the way Bill Belichick does business. Which is one of the reasons I'm giddy as a little child for 2015.

I would argue it's hard not to feel good about New England's chances to become the first franchise since themselves to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Everyone's better on paper, of course. But that's probably all we really have right now.

So her goes.

I hope…

Scott Chandler and Rob Gronkowski set every record in the books for two tight ends, combined. Most catches, yards, touchdowns, first downs, whatever and set records by an order of magnitude. The gigantic tight ends were working on the side with Brady during OTAs. This bodes well. I'm feeling very Mr. Burns just thinking about it. World domination is so seductive. Anyway. Gronk and Chandler could just wreck defenses with Brady pulling the trigger. Has a team ever scored a touchdown every time they got into the red zone? Think about that for a minute. Brady on a play fake to LeGarrette Blount (who already has 60 yards midway through the second) with Gronk, Chandler, Julian Edelman, JoJo LaFell and a third tight end or James Develin. Gronk and Chandler run flag routes after selling the run fake, while Julian Edelman is doing Julian Edelman things. Just let it roll around in your head for a second or two. It feels good, doesn't it?

Jabaal Sheard is the tipping point for the Patriots pass rush. Sheard was good early on in a 4-3 defense which has been much more en vogue formation for Belichick and Matt Patricia of late (really, a 4-2-5). With everyone healthy, the Patriots could put a front seven of Sheard, Chandler Jones, Dominique Easley, Rob Ninkovich, Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins on the field with a game plan match up for that seventh spot in the front seven (who could be anything from an in the box safety to another defensive lineman with either Jones or Ninkovich standing up).

Okay, yes, I hope Aaron Dobson puts up big numbers in 2015. Remember, I said I was a little drunk. Anyway, I think all the "Brady can't throw deep" stuff is overstated. Yes, 2007 was a long time ago but Brady's mechanics are still near perfect. He can throw deep given the time. If he's going to do anything more than threaten the deep half of the field, he needs Dobson (or Brian Tyms?) to go up and catch those long balls. Dobson has muscled up over the off season and looked good in shorts and shells during OTAs. Are there enough footballs to go around? That's a good problem to have, isn't it?

So many other pigskin things to hope for…

Jamie Collins searches for his ceiling in 2015 and comes close to finding it as he, Dont'a Hightower and Jerod Mayo become the best linebackers, duo or group, in the NFL.

The offensive line dominates all those big bad defensive lines in the AFC East.

LeGarrette Blount has a career year and James White makes us forget Shane Whateverhisnamewas. It was Shane, wasn't it?

Devon McCourty proves he was worth every last dollar. He leads the league in interceptions and fumble recoveries. He scores three touchdowns. He writes a series of award-winning children's books.

Sports Illustrated has a cover with "Malcolm and Malcom" (second week of November, Patriots still undefeated) as Malcolm Butler and Malcom Brown spark a national debate on the correct spelling of Malcolm. Or Malcom.  

The defensive front seven personnel are just that good and the defensive backfield is just good enough.

Tom Brady makes them pay. All of them.

I'm a hopeful drunk as it turns out.

Hope. Yeah. I got it.

Super Bowl 50, baby. Make your travel plans now.