I spent a thoroughly disagreeable afternoon yesterday watching football. At least, I think it was football. They were dressed like football players. But what they were doing wasn't anything I've seen professional football players do for more than twenty years.
Is this how Jets fans feel?
Yeah, even writing that didn't make me feel better. Apparently, there's only so much schadenfreude can do for you.
I suppose it's a fan's birthright to feel like this after a loss. Betrayed. Bewildered. We're all overinvested in something, I suppose. At least, in this case, it won't wipe out my life savings. Foreclose on my house. File divorce papers. Punch me in the face.
No. This punch hit me much lower.
The good news? Yes, there's always good news. In this case, I no longer have any expectations for the 2021 Patriots.
That doesn't mean I haven't given up all hope, nor does it mean I won't be watching my pigskin heroes play their remaining 14 games, from kickoff to the final gun, regardless of the score.
The Hope I Have Left for the 2021 Patriots
The Return of Trent Brown Will Fix The Offensive Line
I was struck by a 20/20 hindsight moment this morning. Given all the money spent in free agency, why didn't Bill pay Joe Thuney? Would this offensive line be better with Thuney at left guard and Michael Onwenu at right tackle? These are the questions you ask after your team loses their first two home games.
Go Blitz-Wacky on Defense
I don't actually think this fixes anything but blitzing and sacking the quarterback (assuming they get home) is fun! Fun is good!
What's not fun and not good is how the defense has responded in the 4th quarter with winnable games on the line. They couldn't stop the Dolphins down by 1 point with 3:30 to play in the Week 1 home loss. They couldn't stop the Saints down by 8 (okay, "winnable" a bit of a stretch) with well over 9 minutes to play last Sunday in Foxborough against a team that was down two starters on their offensive line.
I guess you could say the Patriots are just a play or two away from being 3-0-0.
You know who says things like that?
Fans of teams that are 1-2-0.
Bill Resolves the Stephon Gilmore Saga with 2022 in Mind
Luckily, Gilmore will be eligible to come off the PUP list before the trade deadline. The Patriots are likely to be 2-4-0 at that point (with losses to the Buccaneers and Cowboys and assuming the Patriots beat the Texans). From there, the Patriots should get their first home win against the Jets, followed by what looks like just one other winnable game, the penultimate game for the 2021 season against the Jaguars. I just don't think Gilmore changes any of that. Better to trade him for the best draft picks Bill can get.
2021 Will Set Mac Jones up to Succeed in 2022 and Beyond
Consider this for context:
3-13-0 Won-Lost record, 56.7% Completions. 26 TD Passes, 28 Interceptions.
That was Peyton Manning's rookie season. No, I'm saying Mac Jones will be the next Peyton Manning. I am saying that what we're seeing with Jones shows promise that should pay off in the future. In time to save 2021? Not with the problems this team has with the offensive line and the inconsistency in the running game, not to mention the usual and customary missteps on that slippery slope known as the learning curve for rookie quarterbacks. But Jones showed me that he has no quit in him this last Sunday. The Patriots may well finish 3-14-0 but I don't see it breaking Mac Jones. Not psychologically, anyway.
Is That All You Got?
Yeah. That's it.
No comments:
Post a Comment