We've seen this movie before, haven't we? Underperforming in the regular season, featuring a blowout loss that has pigskin pundits questioning Tom Brady and the Patriots' Super Bowl bona fides? Check. Controversy? I'd say the endless Antonio Brown saga qualifies. A rash of injuries that seems to target a single position group? Well, we haven't gotten to the point where wide receivers are playing defensive back but I might be close to asking if any of the defensive backs played wide receiver in college… or high school… or pee wee football.
Yeah. We've seen this movie before and we know how it ends.
Not to say there won't be a twist ending this time (or that it hasn't happened before) but it does seem that adversity is the fuel that has driven the Patriots juggernaut over their unprecedented two decades of dominance. Granted, some of the adversity is manufactured, like the armchair psychoanalysis deconstructing Tom Brady's feelings (why is Tom so... sad?) after the Eagles game. (Remember Rodney Harrison, claiming during the back-to-back 14-2-0 seasons of 2003 and '04 that ended in Super Bowl wins, that "nobody respects us?" Good times.) Some of it is just life in the NFL where every team faces injuries, unfavorable matchups, and wintery weather conditions provide hardships and misadventures; it's just that the Patriots seem to figure it out more often and more effectively than other teams do.
And here we are again.
David Andrews was lost for the season before the season started. Promising rookie WR N'Keal Harry started the season on IR. Then LT of the Future Isaiah Wynn got hurt (again), also heading to IR. Josh Gordon came back but like Clapton he was apparently better when he was on drugs. The Antonio Brown Circus came to town and stayed just about as long as an actual circus. Julian Edelman got hurt and has yet to look like his SB53 MVP self. The Mohamed Sanu trade looked like a solid move to improve the passing game and he probably will be a key contributor in December and the playoffs - assuming that ankle injury only keeps him off the field for a game or two. The patchwork offensive line tripped up Sony Michel's second-year leap and left Tom Brady to lead the league in passes thrown away. And yet…
9-1-0 and the #1 seed if the playoff started today.
Harry is back. Wynn is almost back. Julian Edelman is throwing TD passes. Maybe a healthy Matt LaCosse (and yes, I realize that "a healthy Matt LaCosse is a pigskin oxymoron) and a seemingly ageless Ben Watson can provide serviceable TE play. The defense is playing to historical comps and the special teams have been special despite the loss of the criminally undervalued Stephen Gostkowski. Most importantly (apparently), Brady is feeling better about… his feelings (I guess).
As for this weekend's game against the Cowboys, the only prediction I'll make is this: The doubters and haters will have a good time Monday morning regardless of the outcome.
If the Patriots win, it won't be big enough and everyone will be watching how Tom handles the post-game stand up. Or they will win big and everyone will want to know how Tom feels about it. Whatever. The Ravens and Lamar Jackson are still better. Memes will follow.
If the Patriots lose, it will surely be the end of days… for Tom Brady… for the Patriots dynasty… for any chance of getting to another Super Bowl with the Ravens now the #1 seed. Nobody will think the Patriots are any good and they can't win any games...
Sound familiar?
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