Just Lucky, I Guess

Is there a consensus amongst pigskin pundits and bobbleheads when it comes to this team? 

There seems to be two schools of thought when it comes to the 2021 New England Patriots. 

On the one hand, they're just flat out lucky. Their opponents always seem to show up shorthanded, often missing their best player. Or their opponents are the Jets, who only seem to be missing their best player.

On the other hand, they're a monster. Frankenstein with a football. A Hulk Smash throwback to the toothless, leatherheaded roots of the game. The latest gridiron Ghidorah, released from it's hollow earth underground lair by that evil genius, Dr. Hoodie. (See what I did there? Three heads? All three phases of the game? It was totally worth mixing the monster metaphors. You're welcome.) 

Maybe it's just hard to figure this team out. 

I mean, who are these guys, really?

Before this snow sprinkled Sunday, it seemed they were a team led by their ballhawking defense, with rock solid special teams units and a run-first offense led by a rookie QB that appeared intent on reminding us all that it's still called football (the Patriots have scored 32 TD and Nick Folk has kicked 31 FG). And while there was plenty of ballhawking from the defense (kind of important when you give up 270 rushing yards) and 5 FG from Nick Folk Hero this Sunday, it was Mac "Tiny House" Jones, not the running backs, carrying the offense.

It turns out they're whoever they need to be to win the game.

How perfectly Belichickian. 

A Few Other Feeling Good on a Monday Thoughts From the 36-13 Win over Tennessee

Giving up 270 yards rushing to Tennessee will have the defense in a mood come next Monday night. They'll need to be in a mood to beat the Bills in Buffalo. An a-hole mood. 

I'm not buying the "it's not who you play but when you play them" rationale offered by the haters to explain away New England's six-game winning streak. Winning a game in the NFL is hard (just ask the Detroit Lions). There are plenty of imperfect teams in the NFL. Only six of them have 8+ wins on the season and this may be the perfect time for that old Bill Parcells quote: You are what your record says you are. 8-4-0. First place in the AFC East. #2 seed in the AFC. It is what it is.

It's gotten to the point where I'm shocked when Mac Jones doesn't complete a pass. When the game was over, was I the only one surprised to see that Jones had thrown for 310 yards? I shouldn't have been but Jones has been so efficient at times as to make it look like he's not even breaking a sweat. Just another day at the office. The man is an architectural oddity: His floor is apparently higher than his ceiling.

It may seem like just another TD celebration, but seeing McCorkle flexing in the end zone with Damien Harris after his pinball run for six and the Pats' final score made me actually think this team has a legitimate chance to reach the Super Bowl. Maybe that's still wishful thinking. Hard not to like these guys, though. Flex those noodly arms, Mac n Cheese!

Those final runs by Rhamondre Stevenson and Harris's TD (after the run game had been largely shut down by the Titans) was like watching every big brother ever closing out his little brother after little brother came perilously close to beating big brother for the first time. Thought you had me stopped, lil bro? Nope.

Maybe the Patriots don't have any stars (though I'm sure the agents for JC Jackson and Matt Judon might choose to differ) but they do have playmakers. Without the four takeaways - and those highlight reel TDs from Kendrick Bourne Supremacy - this could've been a far different outcome. This team just seems to have a feel for the moment. 

The Patriots didn't play their best against the Titans, still won by 23 points, and even though they've won six in a row, have yet to play their best game of the season. 

But they're working on it.

Maybe next Monday night?

Go Pats!