History Rhymes Again

A disappointing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. A cheating controversy involving videotape. We're on to Cincinnati.

Wait-What?

If you built a time machine and traveled back in time, would you know you built a time machine in the future?

We have all been here before. Back-to-back December losses. That was just last year, wasn't it? More question marks than exclamation points. It was - finally and at last in the minds of every football fan west of the Connecticut River - over for the Patriots. 

And here we are again. Three games left for the Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels, and Tom Brady to figure this thing out. And while past performance is no guarantee of future results, and while this year's New England Patriots seem irrevocably and fatally flawed, they can still win out for a 13-3-0 finish, the second seed and a bye week that couldn't be more important for a team that has ten players on the injury report heading into their Week 15 matchup with the Bengals.

A few things would have to break in the Patriots favor to be sure…

The Defense must continue to play at an elite level.

The Defense (and Special Teams) have carried the Patriots to 10-3-0. It's likely not enough on its own but the Patriots D gives the team a puncher's chance.

The Offensive Line must play better...

Tom Brady can only throw so many passes away.

Opposing defenses don't fear the Patriots' running game, play action is ineffective, man coverage forces Brady to hold the ball an extra split second and that's resulted in sacks, hits on Brady, throwaways, and interceptions.

Someone other than Julian Edelman has to catch some passes...

I know you come to my blog for incisive pigskin insights like this.

For me, one of the worst parts of the N'Keal Harry TD That Wasn't is that it stole a moment from Harry and Brady, a moment the likes of which often serves as an inflection point; a moment that says, nothing that happened before matters, this is a new beginning.

The pieces are there. Edelman, Harry, Mohamed Sanu, Jakobi Meyers, and James White provide Brady and the offense the elements of an effective passing game. For a number of reasons, that hasn't happened. Yet. 

Empty the playbook, Josh…

There was some snotting about the Patriots resorting to trick plays (the flea flicker, the halfback pass) in order to produce on offense in the Kansas City game. To which I say…

So what?

I also say…

Bring it on!

I mean, hasn't this type of gridiron legerdemain been a hallmark of the Patriots offense for the last two decades? Flea flickers, double passes, tackle eligible, ineligible eligibles (sadly, no longer a legal formation), you name it. If this is what the offense must resort to in order to score points, then dial those plays up!

So…

Can they do it again?

It's why we watch the game, isn't it?

Go Pats!