A
Satisfying Win – I could
write this any time we beat the Raiders, whether they happen to dwell in
Oakland, L.A., Vegas, or, as will undoubtedly be the case once a member of the
Davis family sees a chance to piss off the NFL brass and some money in it –
Mars. However, in this case the win was (slightly)
less about the opponent and more about the following takeaways:
1. 1. Takeaways – This team still seems to be
able to ball hawk and come away with possession. This was a critical element to the defence’s
success last year and, with the opt outs of key players, was one of the areas
that it seemed might drop off. Not so
far. While there are some worrying tendencies
(refs seem to be watching Steph Gilmore far more closely, and at the end of the
first half the ability of the opposition to move the ball downfield quickly
could be a problem) the overall ability to get stops and win the turnover
battle against a good, well coached team is highly encouraging.
2. 2. Diversity is a good thing Red, maybe the best thing – I can’t say enough about how good it is to see the range of offensive weapons that were on display this game. I also can’t say enough about the offensive weapons that weren’t on display this game that didn’t matter. The Raiders clearly determined that they were not going to allow Julian Edelman to be a major factor in the game early on. They were determined to take him away as a weapon. This is a classic Belichick tactic – take the thing you feel the other team wants to do more than any other away from them and make them beat you with something else. Vegas tried to turn the tables – and it didn’t work.
The Pats were able to counter with an effective ground game, the threat
of Cam Newton taking off and running (a truly new weapon), the use of
alternative targets when necessary and the threat of multiple sets out of which
an array of plays could be run. They did
this even though they don’t have any QB/receiver/back/tight end tandems that
have played together previously. (They
can’t – they have a first year quarterback).
Didn’t matter – aside from a few timing issues the team worked well
together, which reflects positively on the coaching staff and the players’
collective football IQ’s. The fact that
you can do a lot of things, early in the season – and not look like you’re
still learning – a really good sign.
3. 3. All you gotta do to beat me is punch like Tyson, move like Ali, have a jab like Holmes and a better dentist than Leon Spinks. While questions remain on defense – it still seems that the secondary, while weaker, is still able to stand up to a QB that falls short of the “elite” label. Russell Wilson gives us problems, everyone else – you may get one or two big plays but in today’s league everyone gets one or two big plays. Of course, next week we get to face another elite category QB – which we have to do this coming week. I'll be a lot less upset if we lose to KC on the road than I still am over that damn loss to Seattle - but there is no doubting that this is going to be a real test of the re-constituted defense. By the way, Congrats to the Ghost, who kicked six field goals this week, including another game winner. In the words of Bob Lobel "Why can't we ever get guys like that?".
Short Review
of “The Dynasty” – I’ve
completed Jeff Benedict’s new book and, as promised, here is a short recap:
1. 1. The “H” Word – Benedict had extensive access to
Patriot’s key sources and obviously received cooperation from Bob Kraft, Tom
Brady and even Bill Belichick. This
leads to the inevitable question – “is this a hagiography or a true work of reportage”? Well, the answer, unsurprisingly, lies
somewhere in between. “Hagiography” is
defined as “a biography that treats its subject with undue reverence”. “The Dynasty” does fall afoul of this tendency
in a number of places. Reading it you
come to believe that Bob Kraft led more people to the Holy Land than
Moses. (I mean that literally, the book
recounts separate trips with network execs, assorted friends, Tom Brady, Joe
Montana and consultants used to build the first football field in Israel).
However – it leaves you with enough information to suspect that the treatment
is not really “undue”. Brady, Kraft and
Belichick clearly are the key components in a sports drama that is worthy of
high regard (just, maybe not “reverence”, at least not yet).
Still, the number of “I love you man’s” that
appear in the text, especially towards the end of the book, make it so sweet
that diabetics may wish to take care when reading it. That said – there are many, many insights
here, especially in the books’ opening chapters, that make it a fascinating
read.
2. 2. Massachusetts’ Politics – Look – I’m a political junkie, and
the intrigue’s that went in to the process of keeping the Patriot’s in New
England, and then in Foxboro, are like a Tom Clancy novel. One quick observation. In the 1980’s Massachusetts’ politics were awash
in high profile personalities like Governor Bill Weld, Senate President Billy
Bulger, Boston Mayor Ray Flynn and House Speaker Tom Finneran. All these people appeared in the press regularly,
loved the camera and each would have you believing that they were the man to talk
to get things done in the Commonwealth.
Benedict’s book reflects all of this manipulation – but in the end the
guy who comes out looking like the person who actually was able to get
things done is someone who never spent much time in front of the camera. Bulger’s
successor, Senate President Thomas Birmingham, clearly emerges as the person
who was finally able to sit both sides down, end the drive to move the Patriots
to Hartford, get the necessary infrastructure credits put in place to build
Gillette Stadium – and essentially pave the way for the franchise we know
today. Full disclosure – my wife worked
for Birmingham for a period so I knew he was effective before this book came
out – but there is nothing in here to dissuade me from a long held view – watch
for the people who don’t say anything at a press conference – they often tell
you more about what’s really happening.
3. 3. Deflategate was Bullshit – If anyone had any doubts about this
before reading this book – it is made eminently clear that nothing untoward
went on with the footballs being used by the Patriots and suspending Brady was
nothing more than the NFL’s (specifically Roger Goodell’s) attempt to deflect
attention from how soft they looked following the domestic violence scandals
that had hit the league prior to this issue being raised. By the way – I always point this out but no
one ever seems to understand its importance – the book reiterates that on the
day of the AFC Championship Game that started this whole thing – a substantial number
of the Colts’ footballs measured below the NFL standard for inflation as
well. It was a cold and wet day people –
that’s what happens to balls. Roger
Goodell ignored this fact because, well, he doesn’t have any.
4. 4. The Best Part of the Book is the Beginning – The story of how the Sullivan’s lost the Patriots – and Bob Kraft managed to get them – is fascinating and never ceases to amaze. Someone should do a book just about this. Here’s the thing about the Sullivans that I think gets overlooked – they loved the football team. The fact that there even is a franchise in New England is totally down to them. The problem was this – the Sullivans were not cheap – they just didn’t have any money. There’s a difference – a big difference. So, when things were finally turning the corner for them – they didn’t really know what to do – and the Jackson’s Victory Tour seemed like a sure thing. Benedict makes it clear how this was a key event in the story of the Patriots going to Kraft. The other key event? Remember last weeks’ entry concerning the cratered, car swallowing, lunar like parking lots surrounding the old stadium? The place where you could put a canoe in some of the potholes? Buying the rights to park cars in that dump turns out to be one of the major reasons Bob Kraft ended up owning the Patriots.
In the words of the immortal Joaquin Andujar “Youneverknow”.
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