Feeling Pretty Good

I know I should pump the brakes for all the obvious reasons (preseason, Joe Flacco, who played/who didn't, and, of course, Joe Flacco) but following the Patriots 35-0 win over the Eagles, I feel a bit like Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China, in the elevator scene after drinking the magic potion. I feel pretty good.

Why do I feel so good? Let me count the ways…

Superman Lives!

Cam Newton was impressive. Period. Full Stop. And he put up that performance without once running with the ball. I've been counting on the rebuilt defense to carry the 2021 Patriots but this offense could be crazy good; RPO, Cam on the bootleg, play action, QB draws. I'm not the biggest fan of running QBs but in this case, the QB is as big as a tight end and the Patriots have a pretty good insurance policy in the event of injury...

The Once and Future King

If the Patriots had to play their rookie QB, they would be just fine. Mac Jones is a magician. Not in the Patrick Mahomes/Lamar Jackson sense but more in the classic mode; the street corner, "Hey! Where's my wallet?" prestidigitation that leaves you wondering how the Patriots just went 91 yards to score a touchdown. I thought the "Young Brady" comp was both premature and unfair but having watched my fair share of Patriots Pigskin Porn on YouTube over the years I start to think there may be something to it. Watch Young Brady in his first start and tell me you don't see just a little bit of what we're seeing now with Mac Jones...

Born to Run

I know an NFL roster is a numbers game but after two preseason games I don't understand why Patriots pundits and bobbleheads - and a super majority of fellow Pats Fans - are so eager to ditch Sony Michel, who happens to be playing in a contract year (e.g., highly motivated for financial reasons). With the three-headed hammer of Damien Harris (who looks every bit the part of a true RB1), Michel, and rookie Rhamondre "Ramming Speed!" Stevenson, plus the change up combo of James White and J.J. Taylor, New England could win plenty of football games the old-timey "cloud of dust" kind of way. And yes, I'm still holding out hope that Josh McDaniels breaks out the Wishbone at some point this year.

We Still Haven't Found the Tight Ends We're Looking For

The biggest news of the Patriots offseason was the signing of tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry. So far, we've seen little of Smith and less of Henry but given the Patriots offensive scheme's affinity for the tight end position, their return to the field can only help an already devastating running game, while providing passing options when defenses stack the box against obvious run looks.  

The Defense Looked Pretty Good Without Stephon Gilmore

Of course, it would look even better with Stephon Gilmore. And, as noted above: Joe Flacco. Hey! He's a former Super Bowl MVP! Okay, the key word there being "former" and context is always important and given that, perhaps a shutout should've been the expectation. Still, this defense looks faster, more aggressive, and is flashing game-changing, big play potential. 

Where Are They Playing Super Bowl LVI?

So, I've already read somewhere that this Patriots team could return to the playoffs but is certainly not a Super Bowl caliber team. Um, okay. It's pigskin pundit and bobblehead speak at its best/worst and I get it but you do know how the NFL playoffs work, don't you? Single elimination tournament? Maybe your team would win just once if they played a particular opponent 100 times but that one time just needs to be this one game?

Before last night, I wasn't so sure the Patriots were a playoff team. Yes, New England appeared on paper to be markedly improved over last year's 7-9-0 team, but everyone gets better on paper during the offseason. After last night, though, I feel pretty good about indulging in some wishful thinking; that the AFC East is in play and the Patriots could retake the division in 2021. Buffalo and Miami are both likely to regress and the Jets are still the Jets. The Patriots, meanwhile, lost 4 games in 2020 by a touchdown or less. Would 11-6 get the Patriots into the tournament? Would 12-5-0 win the AFC East?

After last night, I'm really looking forward to finding out. Yeah. I'm feeling pretty good.