With 19 months passed since the Falcons suffered perhaps the most heartbreaking professional sports loss of all-time, Atlanta is set to build on a topsy-turvy past two seasons. For them, a third time will be the charm.
Yielding one of the NFL’s most talented rosters, the Falcons have fallen under the radar as other star-studded NFC franchises such as the Eagles, Rams, Vikings and Saints have hogged preseason hype. Prognosticators overlooking the Falcons will later find out they’ve made a major mistake. The team will return 19 of its 22 starters from last season, therefore putting them in a better position than most teams from the get-go.
After perhaps the best season in franchise history in 2016, the Falcons offense sputtered in 2017 after the switch from Kyle Shanahan to Steve Sarkisian at offensive coordinator. As Shanahan left for the 49ers head coaching job, he apparently took the offense’s moxie with him, as 2016 NFL MVP Matt Ryan was unable to duplicate his prior success in the new regime.
But with experience (and a fresh season) comes hope for a unit that still has loads of talent. Ryan should have a bounce-back season getting used to Sarkisian’s methods as the team welcomes back most of his weapons in superstar WR1 Julio Jones, WR2 Mohamed Sanu, TE Austin Hooper and RBs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.
Like most teams now, the Falcons ran their ’11’ personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs) just over half time in 2017. This year they’ll welcome Alabama WR Calvin Ridley to the fold as the team’s WR3, after selecting him with the 26th overall pick in this year’s draft. The initial thought would be Ridley spending most of his time in the slot, but the most likely outcome is both him and Sanu alternating at the Y and Z (flanker) positions, while Jones remains the team’s primary threat on the outside as the prototypical ‘X’ wideout. With possibly the league’s best group of receivers in the limelight, Hooper may find open lanes down the seam and middle of the field all season. Except a breakout year from third-year tight end.
In addition to ’11’ groupings, expect Sarkisian to implement more ’21’ groupings (2 RBs, 1 TE, 2 WR) in order to get Freeman and Coleman on the field at the same time. Outside of their rival in New Orleans (Saints with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram) the Freeman-Coleman duo is the league’s best RB pair. While Freeman is more of a physical runner with a quick burst and above-average lateral moves and vision, Coleman is more of a larger scatback-type, and is a major threat in the passing game.
All that comes together behind one of the league’s better offensive lines. Year 2 under Sarkisian will prove to be significantly more memorable last season.
Week 1 Projected offense:
QB — Matt Ryan
RB — Devonta Freeman
WR — Julio Jones
WR — Mohamed Sanu
WR — Calvin Ridley
TE — Austin Hooper
LT — Jake Matthews
LG — Andy Levitre
C — Alex Mack
RG — Brandon Fusco
RT — Ryan Schraeder
Situational positions:
Scatback — Tevin Coleman
WR4 — Justin Hardy
FB — Ricky Ortiz
TE2 — Logan Paulsen
* * * * *
Although no one will confuse this Falcons defense with the Seahawks ‘Legion of Boom’ unit, the architect of that former group has done a swell job building a similarly fast and physical defense of its own in Atlanta.
After two seasons as the Seahawks defensive coordinator (2013-2014), Dan Quinn leveraged his creation on a team that made two consecutive Super Bowls (winning Super Bowl XLVIII), to land his first head coaching job in 2016. The Falcons defense immediately improved as Quinn modeled some positions after his former club. Recently-retired strong safety Kam Chancellor was a force for the ‘LOB,’ terrorizing receivers underneath in the shallow zones of a Cover 3 concept usually suited for linebackers
Quinn uses Keanu Neal similarly in Atlanta in zone-based schemes. Although Neal (6 feet, 211 pounds) isn’t quite Chancellor’s size (6-foot-3, 232 pounds), he’s savvy and packs punch. Quinn also has linebacker Deion Jones in a similar role. The 6-foot, 227-pound linebacker is undersized for the position, but his speed and aggressive mentality have invoked fear over the middle in somewhat similar fashion as the two previously-mentioned players.
Shot 4 – These #Falcons LBs, led by Deion Jones, are so athletic and perfectly fit that scheme. Jones has blossomed into one of the best in the league at his position pic.twitter.com/u0on9HxN9j
Underneath the middle-roaming Neal and Jones is a defensive line ready for a monster season. Two seasons after leading the NFL in sacks (15.5 sacks in 2016), Beasley is primed to get back on track in Year 4, which is commonly viewed a make-or-break year for top-end picks. On the other edge comes new starter Taakarist McKinley. After spending his rookie year as a backup, the 2017 firs- round pick will start opposite Beasley to form a formidable duo.
In the interior, Grady Jarrett has the skills to become a breakout star, similar to the aforementioned Hooper on the offensive side of the ball. Jarrett’s career game is still Super Bowl LI. Despite the Falcons’ heartbreaking loss, Jarrett tied a Super Bowl record with three sacks on Brady. With the Beasley-McKinley duo set to occupy the minds of most offensive lines, the overlooked Jarrett should thrive.
With an ounce more consistency, Robert Alford and Desmond Trufant can be as good as any cornerback tandem in football.
In the backend, Ricardo Allen returns at free safety while CB2 Robert Alford and underrated slot CB Brian Poole help round out a starting secondary that revolves around Desmond Trufant. Not mentioned with the likes of Jalen Ramsey, Xavier Rhodes and Patrick Peterson, Trufant can be likened to Casey Hayward of the Los Angeles Chargers. Trufant and Hayward are top seven or eight cornerbacks in the NFL by any measure, yet are often overlooked. The 2013 first-round pick is a legit CB1 capable of ruining a game for even the brightest quarterbacks and offenses.
Week 1 Projected defense:
EDGE — Vic Beasley Jr.
Interior — Grady Jarrett
Interior — Terrell McClain
EDGE — Takkarist McKinley
LB — Deion Jones
LB — Duke Riley
CB — Desmond Trufant
CB — Robert Alford
Slot CB — Brian Poole
SS — Keanu Neal
FS — Ricardo Allen
Situational positions:
Sub Interior Rusher — Jack Crawford
Sub Edge Rusher — Derrick Shelby
Base Defense LB3 — De’Vondre Campbell
CB4 (Dime) — Blidi Wreh-Wilson
CB5 — Isaiah Oliver
Projected record: 12-4 (NFC’s No. 2 seed)
Most are picking the Saints to take the NFC South, but the Falcons have a roster equal to New Orleans (and other NFC powers) in talent. They’ll take the division over the Saints, who will grab a wild card spot with a 10-6 mark. After losing out on the NFC’s top seed due to a Week 15 loss to the Packers in Lambeau Field, the Falcons take care of business a second time around in Green Bay for the NFC Championship Game. In doing so the Falcons become the first home team in Super Bowl history, as the big game will be in Atlanta, Georgia this year. But once again, the Falcons will fall victim to the Patriots, 27-24, as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick take home their sixth and final ring.
193 days removed from one of the most painful losses of his career, Tom Brady took the field against the Philadelphia Eagles with something to prove. The contrast in importance from Super Bowl LII and this home preseason tilt can’t be overstated, but for Brady, this was a chance to damper the over-analyzed noise of ‘discord’ between he and Bill Belichick during the offseason, as seen and heard on sports television and sports talk radio.
The GOAT’s performance (19/26, 172 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT) was sharp. An A-minus level of quarterbacking against the team that thwarted his attempt at a sixth ring. With WR1 Brandin Cooks, do-everything back Dion Lewis and uber-clutch slot weapon Danny Amendola all gone, Brady will carry a heavier load this season. That’s something he’s done in past years, but as he enters his age-41 campaign, that’s certainly not ideal.
Still, the Patriots possess the ultimate mismatch-creator in tight end Rob Gronkowski, and will welcome back trusty slot receiver Julian Edelman in October after his four-game suspension for who knows what. In September bouts versus the Texans, Jaguars, Lions and Dolphins, Brady will have to rely on Chris Hogan as his WR1 with scatback James White and two former first-round picks Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson to fill the void. Patterson is the ultimate ‘gadget’ weapon capable of creating big gains off screens, reverses and the deep fly. Dorsett is a smaller target with blazing speed a la Brandin Cooks, but not as polished. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will likely try Dorsett in a variety of roles including in Cooks’ and Edelman’s spot for the first month of the season.
BRADY EXPECTATIONS: Phillip Dorsett on the key to working with Tom Brady. All about understanding what he expects. pic.twitter.com/oVFmy1kQvI
But what will the offense look like in general? McDaniels is known for creating a chameleon-type mentality within the Patriots’ complex offense run by Brady. One game New England might pound the rock in two-tight end sets (with the occasional play-action pass) while another matchup may bring out a spread set for much of the game, asking Brady to beat a top-end defense by throwing 50 or more passes — which he surely can do. It’s been documented many times before, but the Patriots use short passes to RBs and slot receivers as bonafide runs in that scenario. They move players like James Devlin out wide in no-huddle base-switched-to-spread formations and move receivers in motion to identify the coverage, and then Brady assess.
Many call it ‘dinking and dunking’ but what Brady does with timed and small window throws is a thing of beauty. As opposed to consistently looking deep to Cooks, Hogan and Gronkowski like last season, Brady will attack the short and middle spots of the defense before he attacks downfield with what can be described as the ‘jugular.’ This is reserved for when Brady looks downfield on either a play-action pass or unexpected bomb to hit the defense where and when it least expects it. The best example of this is Brady’s deep touchdown pass to Chris Hogan to defeat the Ravens on a Monday Night Football game during the 2016 season:
New England’s team-building philosophy allows them to find obscure or mid-level available targets to fit their system, without having to battle other teams for their services. These players are hired on affordable contracts, or traded for assets with slim value to the franchise. The latest example being Patterson, who may very well enjoy a career year in New England despite being dealt there, along with a sixth-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick. That’s practically nothing.
Likewise, the Patriots retained Burkhead on a three-year deal with $5.5 million guaranteed. With the Patriots handling of Michel’s injury and Lewis in Tenneseee, Burkhead may too, have a career year as the presumed feature back to start the season.
But the running back corps should rely on perhaps their best bargain of all, scatback James White. The trusty offensive weapon will be heavily relied on to start the season, and even may lead the team in catches. The player who has scored six touchdowns in his last four postseason games quietly signed a three-year extension last offseason that nets him just $12 million (not guaranteed) through 2020. The Patriots win in this scenario again.
But enough contract talk. Expect the unexpected when it comes to the Patriots attempt to score points on four familiar, stingy defensive foes in September, but after that Brady and company should find their rythmn with a mix of gameplans derived generated to attack opponents’ weaknesses.
In short, as long as Brady is running the show, and Gronkowski and Edelman remain healthy, New England should remain one of the league’s consistent scoring machines in 2018.
Week 1 Projected offense:
QB — Tom Brady
RB — Rex Burkhead
WR — Chris Hogan
WR — Cordarrelle Patterson
Slot WR — Phillip Dorsett (Edelman will replace Dorsett after his four-game suspension; Dorsett would move back outside)
TE — Rob Gronkowski
LT — Trent Brown
LG — Joe Thuney
C — David Andrews
RG — Shaq Mason
RT — Marcus Cannon
Situational positions:
FB — James Devlin
Scatback — James White
‘Move’ TE — Jacob Hollister
Blocking TE — Dwayne Allen
Gadget — Cordarrelle Patterson (Patterson projected to start in three WR sets Weeks 1-4)
Swing Tackle — LaAdrian Waddle
* * * * *
For the Patriots defense, the 2017 season ended just as it began, with the unit being thumped by a more talented offensive unit.. The ominous Week 1 loss to the Chiefs sparked early trouble, but as always the Patriots trekked along with the ‘bend-but-don’t-break’ defense for the rest of the season leading up to Super Bowl LII. Then, the wheels came off.
Now, Brian Flores takes over, filling in for Matt Patricia’s shoes. In two preseason games, Flores has appeared to mix in more exotic blitzes than the conservative preseason. But again, it’s preseason so that means little. The Patriots major hole in 2017 was a lack of a pass rush, and a below-average front seven in general. Players like Eric Lee and Marquis Flowers were thrust into starting roles down the stretch. Both Lee and Flowers were released Saturday, failing to make the 53-man roster. With the return of Dont’a Hightower and the additions of Adrian Clayborn, Danny Shelton and Derek Rivers, the team should see somewhat of a boost in those categories.
In the secondary, the Patriots again will have the experienced safety trio of Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon, but the group’s most important piece will be CB1 Stephon Gilmore. With a full season in New England under his belt, Gilmore should elevate into a top five cornerback in 2018. Belichick will utilize the former Buffalo Bill as a man-to-man piece with the ability to stymie opponents’ No. 1 pass catcher. Generally, Belichick’s defenses work well with a shutdown CB1 anchoring the backend — think Ty Law, Asante Samuel, Aqib Talib and Darrelle Revis. With the exception of Samuel, who was smaller and excelled in zone coverage, the players on that list are elite, physical man-to-man defenders. Gilmore will be that.
The major question comes at CB2, where Eric Rowe will need to step up and provide solid play in man-to-man situations. Between Gilmore (6-foot-1, 202 pounds) and Rowe (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) the Patriots hope to lock up outside receivers with their lengthy, athletic cornerbacks, with less pressure on Rowe, as he’d be asked to cover the team’s No. 2 WR. In the slot, the Patriots will look to Jonathan Jones or rookie Duke Dawson at some point, but their often-used ‘big nickel’ package may be the most used. The formation employs the aforementioned safety trio with both Harmon and McCourty playing a traditional free-ranging safety position, and Chung playing in the as a nickel back who is able to jam receivers and tight ends who line up in the slot.
With Flores at the helm, the Patriots will still employ a mostly-conservative approach to their defense, as similar to recent years. But expect the young play caller to mix a few exotic blitzes into the mix, without leaving the defense vulnerable to getting beat deep by a running back in the passing game, like Cassius Marsh’s coverage assignment versus Kareem Hunt in last season’s Week 1 loss to the Chiefs.
To sum it all up, the defense should improve.
Week 1 Projected defense:
EDGE — Trey Flowers
Interior — Danny Shelton
Interior — Lawrence Guy
EDGE — Adrian Clayborn
LB — Kyle Van Noy
LB — Dont’a Hightower
CB — Stephon Gilmore
CB — Eric Rowe
Nickelback — Patrick Chung
S — Devin McCourty
S — Duron Harmon
Situational positions:
Rotational Interior — Malcom Brown
Sub Interior Rusher — Adam Butler
Sub Edge Rusher — Derek Rivers
Sub Edge Rusher — Deatrich Wise Jr.
Slot CB — Jonathan Jones
Slot CB — Duke Dawson Jr.
Projected record: 12-4 (AFC’s No. 2 seed)
With the AFC’s (and AFC East’s) failure to keep up with the NFC’s level of emerging talent-heavy teams, only the Patriots, Jaguars and Steelers hold a legitimate chance at making Super Bowl LIII, with the Chargers, Chiefs and Texans being the conference’s sleepers. The Patriots will miss out on the AFC’s No. 1 seed via a Week 2 loss in Jacksonville. But with a season-long worth of meshing, and Edelman back in the mix, the Patriots will defeat the Jaguars on the road in the AFC Championship Game to advance to their third Super Bowl in a row, and fourth in five years.
On the eve of the first day of their 2018 training camp, the San Francisco 49ers find themselves in an exhilarating place. Generally, a rebuild of an NFL squad is more exciting when said franchise possesses one of the game’s best young signal callers. Boy, do the 49ers qualify there with Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm.
Along with Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson, whom both suffered season-ending injuries last year, there isn’t a better 10-to-15 year quarterback plan in place then the one in motion up in the Bay Area.
For proof, just look at how Garoppolo made his way to the 49ers, let alone how well he played finishing out the 2017 season.
Last summer the Patriots were faced with a franchise-altering decision between two quarterbacks.
How can that be? Tom Brady had just won fifth Super Bowl, fourth Super Bowl MVP award and even at age 40 showed no signs of slowing down. If the Patriots had enough money to keep just one of Brady and his lauded backup, wouldn’t it be an easy decision to trade Garoppolo for assets to help Brady win more titles?
Well the decision wasn’t that easy, because it turns out Garoppolo may be the best young quarterback in years.
After just two starts in place of Brady early last season, some scouts and analysts labeled Garoppolo as one of the best QB prospects in the NFL, a blue chipper.
Even after filling in admirably for the greatest quarterback ever, no one could be exactly sure that Garoppolo was a franchise cornerstone.
The hype rolled in from smart, football minds such as Michael Lombardi and others. Lombardi — who now works for The Ringer — was part of a small collective of minds on the Patriots staff that help draft Garoppolo in 2014. He was a friend and colleague of Bill Belichick.
Michael Lombardi tells @kirkmin that he thinks Jimmy Garoppolo is better than both Carson Wentz and Jared Goff.
But it was opinions like Lombardi’s, NFL scouts, and anonymous NFL front office personnel that turned the ordeal into a near-frenzy.
When I covered Patriots training camp in late July of 2017, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer enjoyed a private conversation off to the side with Garoppolo in which I heard Breer tell Garoppolo something to the effect of “everybody is aware of the situation, it’s out there” when discussing rumors of trade discussions between the Patriots and his suitors.
The two smiled. After all, Breer was correct and Garoppolo knew it. Garoppolo wanted to be a starter, as anyone in his situation would and teams knew that there was a chance to snag Garoppolo for the right price. Breer wrote a great piece based off that conversation.
But Breer’s piece highlighted how surprised he was (many others were as well) that Garoppolo was still on New England’s roster during training camp.
Rumors circulated before the Draft in May that the Cleveland Browns were offering a first-round pick and more for Garoppolo. The Draft passed and nothing materialized. The Patriots apparently knew what they had in Garoppolo, a future star in the making.
Time will tell if Garoppolo is third in line behind Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers as the next best apprentice quarterback who was a beneficiary of learning behind a Hall of Fame passer for multiple seasons. But after five starts with the 49ers it appears Garoppolo is as good as advertised. Scratch that, he’s better. Seven games hardly defines a career, but a 7-0 career start (5-0 with San Francisco) primarily with a 1-10 team whose No. 1 wide receiver is Marquise Goodwin is something to behold. That’s uncharted territory for a newbie starting quarterback in this league.
The media is fully aware of what Garoppolo might become, as shown in both Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated‘s feature stories on the 49ers QB this week. Apparently, Belichick and the 49ers do too. The SI piece revealed an interesting nugget, stating that Belichick reportedly texted Garoppolo after every 49ers win this past winter. This information, along with the rumors of Belichick’s discord over trading the young QB, further validates Belichick’s affinity for Garoppolo. That may tie into Belichick’s decision to reportedly spurn the Browns in favor of trading Garoppolo to the 49ers, a franchise in which the young quarterback would be better positioned to succeed.
the Browns offer was on the table, and Belichick called up the Niners and offered Jimmy for a second round pick, which was less than the Browns offer. Confirmed by multiple sources familiar with the negotiation.
The 49ers know what they have in Garoppolo, which is why GM John Lynch signed him to five-year, $137 million deal this past February, the richest contract in NFL history at the time. The faith in “Jimmy G” didn’t stop there, as the 49ers bolstered their offense by signing versatile running back Jerick McKinnon in free agency and drafting Notre Dame tackle Mike McGlinchey with the 9th overall pick in the draft. The team also signed the previously-mentioned Marquise Goodwin, Garoppolo’s favorite target last season, to a three-year extension.
Today, Garoppolo addressed the media in lead-up to to his first training camp as a starting quarterback. “Life is different now,” Garoppolo said. “My life off the field, I’ve never really been very big on being very public with things. I’m under a microscope.”
He’s right. Garoppolo is no longer in New England under the shadow of his once-mentor. He has his own franchise to lead, and with what he’s done so far, there’s a reason everyone will be watching him this season, right through those “microscopic” lenses.
A few weeks ago, NFL Network’s Top 100 players of 2018 series culminated with Tom Brady’s second consecutive — and third overall — finish at No. 1 on the rankings. I decided to follow that up with my own Top 50 list. Read and enjoy.
Just missed: Andrew Luck, Matthew Stafford, Landon Collins, LeSean McCoy, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Marshon Lattimore, Kareem Hunt, Zach Ertz, Ndamukong Suh, Everson Griffen, Adam Thielen, DeMarcus Lawrence, Jimmy Garoppolo, Deshaun Watson, Phillip Rivers, Mike Evans, Marshal Yanda, Geno Atkins, Kevin Byard, Telvin Smith, Jason Kelce, Eric Weddle, Brandon Graham
50. Larry Fitzgerald – WR, Arizona Cardinals
Fitzgerald will turn 35 before the season starts, but he’s coming off of three consecutive seasons with 100 receptions or more. That’s incredible. He’s still a borderline top 10 receiver.
49. Doug Baldwin – WR, Seattle Seahawks
As feisty as he is talented, the mentally-tough Baldwin is Russell Wilson’s go-to-guy. He’s one of the more clutch pass catchers in football, and is far from an interchangeable piece in the slot for Seattle.
48. Stephon Gilmore – CB, New England Patriots
After a rough start to his career in New England, Patriots fans were calling for his head. Gilmore quietly meshed into one of the league’s best cover corners outside of Jacksonville down the stretch. He’s the AFC champs’ third best player after Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.
47. Michael Thomas – WR, New Orleans Saints
Thomas is easily the most talented wide receiver that Drew Brees has ever played with, and he’s only going to get better. At 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, Thomas is a ‘X’-type wide receiver that also produces from the slot. According to Pro Football Focus, Thomas was targeted on 26.7% of his routes last year, which is good for second in the league among wide receivers.
46. Fletcher Cox – DT, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles anchor on defense is one of the league’s best interior defensive lineman. His ability to disrupt and offense from the inside helps create one-on-one mismatches for Philadelphia’s talented team of pass rushers on the outside.
45. Alvin Kamara – RB, New Orleans Saints
Give me Kamara over both Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette. The do-it-all back is a prime example of the NFL’s new breed of running backs. He can be a workhorse in a different way than an Ezekiel Elliot-type in that Kamara is best used as someone who’s targeted as often in the passing game as he is in an offense’s running attack.
44. Tyreek Hill – WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Perhaps Hill should be labeled as merely an ‘athlete’ rather than wide receiver. Hill exhibits explosiveness from a myriad of roles that include lining up on the outside, in the slot, out of the backfield and kick returning. He’s one of the league’s most exciting players.
43. David Johnson – RB, Arizona Cardinals
In examining a running back who previously suffered a season-ending injury the year before, one must do their due diligence in knocking them down a few spots on any player rankings. But when healthy, Johnson challenges a few others for the title of the league’s best running back. He’s just as affective in the passing game as he is in the running game.
42. A.J. Green – WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Green’s best days in Cincinnati may be behind him as Andy Dalton and the middling Bengals provide little to be excited about as a franchise. But he still remains a borderline top five guy at his position.
41. David DeCastro – G, Pittsburgh Steelers
As great as Le’Veon Bell’s field vision is, would he have enough time for his patented stop-and-start running without DeCastro clearing the lanes? I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t.
Looking back, Bill Belichick’s decision to trade Jones (instead of paying him) may be one of the few mistakes in his ruthless approach to team building. Without Jones (and albeit, a few others) the Patriots pass rush has been virtually nonexistent. In Arizona, Jones proved his worth by leading the NFL with 17 sacks in 2017.
39. Casey Hayward – CB, Los Angeles Chargers
One of the league’s most underrated players, Hayward has been even better with the Chargers than he was with the Green Bay Packers. Pro Football Focus named Hayward the league’s top coverage defender in 2017.
38. Eric Berry – S, Kansas City Chiefs
Berry overcame Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, so he’ll overcome last year’s season-ending Achilles injury as well. The Chiefs once-stout defense is in need of a reboot and that begins mostly with Berry returning to action.
37. Earl Thomas – S, Seattle Seahawks
A couple seasons ago, Thomas was the anchor of arguably the best defensive backfield in NFL history, and was absolutely a top 10 player in football. In 2018 Thomas is still a top tier safety, but his prime years have passed him by. Still, whether he suits up for the Seahawks or Cowboys this season, Thomas still has an Ed Reed-style of range that will drive quarterbacks nuts for a couple more seasons.
36. Jadeveon Clowney – EDGE, Houston Texans
Clowney has slowly transitioned from the ‘bust’ label associated with an underperforming former No. 1 overall pick to one of the league’s best overall defensive players. He has the power, athleticism and technique to give even the best quarterbacks hell.
35. Patrick Peterson – CB, Arizona Cardinals
Drafted the same year (2011) as Richard Sherman, Peterson has not yet reached Sherman’s peak, but he’s outlasted him as one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks for a longer period of time. Of course, Sherman could prove me wrong at age 30 on a new team coming off a major injury, but this isn’t about him.
Peterson has been one of the best coverage defenders in the business for most of this decade and he’s even been one of the game’s most dangerous punt returners at times.
34. Zack Martin – G, Dallas Cowboys
Martin edges DeCastro and Marshal Yanda on this list as the NFL’s best guard. Martin excels in both pass and run-blocking as one of a few All-Pros on Dallas’ league-best offensive ine.
Like Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce is a new-breed of tight end. The 6-foot-5 tight end is almost Gronkowksi’s size with better speed and quickness. Kelce can line up in-line like a traditional tight end but also spends time out wide and in the slot. Kelce is basically a massive wide receiver and should be treated as such on one of the best offenses in the league.
Had he not been injured versus the Rams, Wentz would have been last year’s MVP. He’ll have a chance to prove last year is no fluke in his return from a major injury last season. He’s one of the game’s brightest young stars.
30. Chris Harris, Jr. – CB, Denver Broncos
To be blunt, Harris is the best slot cornerback of all-time. The position is relatively new in terms of being a full-time role, but the nickel position is extremely important in today’s era of football. Harris’ ability to stymie Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and other slot playmakers in the innovative Patriots’ scheme is all you need to know about Harris. With Talib gone, Harris may be asked to cover opponents’ No. 1 pass catcher regardless of whether he’ll be lined up in the slot or the outside.
Smith is next in line to become the NFL’s best safety if he isn’t already. He’s just as effective in the box as he is in pass coverage. His reliability in the backend allows Mike Zimmer to be more aggressive with the NFL’s No. 1 defense.
There's not many defensive coaches around the NFL that are confident enough in allowing their safeties to play/blitz the A gap in run support. Harrison Smith is so good, Mike Zimmer is fully comfortable with doing just that. pic.twitter.com/BwjrVdyfWe
Harrison Smith's 2017 season wasn't just great. It was historically great. The highest grade earned by a safety 12 years of grading every player on every play! pic.twitter.com/AgjjdNNyWp
Newton showed maturation as a leader in displaying mental toughness more often than not in 2017, a far cry from past seasons. During his 2015 MVP season, he showed how good he can be. As the Panthers add more weapons around him, Newton will continue to improve into a consistent quarterback.
27. Matt Ryan – QB, Atlanta Falcons
With the absence of Kyle Shanahan and the ending to Super Bowl LI casting over the 2017 season, Matt Ryan still had the Falcons in position to make it back to the NFC Championship Game. The Falcons are one of the league’s most talented teams, and should be one out of a handful of Super Bowl LIII favorites, with much of that credited to Ryan.
26. Ben Roethlisberger – QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Roethlisberger is on the downside of his career, but at certain times during the 2017 season, he showcased that he still has the tools to be considered a top passer. Despite the loss to the Jaguars in an AFC Divisional Playoff, Big Ben shredded the AFC’s top ranked defense for 469 yards and five touchdowns. He may not be as consistent as he once was, and I’m willing to bet this is his last ‘good’ year at quarterback, but in a league riddled with inconsistency at the position he remains one of the NFL’s best.
25. Calais Campbell – EDGE, Jacksonville Jaguars
After nine seasons in Arizona as mostly an interior defender, Campbell had his best season as a pro on the Jaguars’ stingy defense by setting the tone on the edge. As the leader of a ferocious pass rush, it’s Campbell in company that rushed quarterbacks into untimely decisions. The Jaguars have the NFL’s best duo at cornerback, but they’re twice as effective because of Campbell and others up front.
24. Joey Bosa – EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers
Entering his third season, Boss could be labeled as an ’emerging’ star if he wasn’t a star already. He’s the best bet in terms of future ‘superstars’ in the same way J.J. Watt has been at a similar position. Having Melvin Ingram rushing the passer from the other side on the Chargers’ defense helps. Bosa is the most likely young player on this list to end up in the top 10 next summer.
23. Cameron Jordan – EDGE, New Orleans Saints
Jordan is one of the NFL’s most underappreciated players in that he’s one of the best edge players in football, yet doesn’t get the national media attention of others at his position. The Saints’ defense improved dramatically in 2017, and although adding talent (Marshon Lattimore, etc.) in the secondary certainly helped, Jordan deserves the most credit for their turnaround.
22. Xavier Rhodes – CB, Minnesota Vikings
At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds with 4.39 speed, Rhodes is a prototypical No. 1 cornerback in today’s NFL. His combination of athleticism and physicality are virtually unmatched at his position, making him the Vikings’ most valuable cog on their No. 1 ranked defense.
In the last minute of the game, on the Saints' final drive, Drew Brees targeted Michael Thomas against Xavier Rhodes three times in a row.
Not to be overlooked by Jalen Ramsey, Bouye has already proven to be one of the best free agent acquisitions of the 2010’s. The Jaguars stole Bouye from their AFC South rival, the Texans, by singing him to five-year, $67.5 million contract last offseason. In his first season in Jacksonville, Bouye led the league in PFF’s passing rating allowed when targeted stat and didn’t allow a touchdown until Antonio Brown snagged one over him in the postseason.
No starting outside cornerback has allowed a lower passer rating on throws into their coverage in a single season than A.J. Bouye did in 2017! pic.twitter.com/UzrwD1chod
Like Bosa, Elliot is one of the league’s budding young stars. He already has two seasons under his belt despite being just 22 years old (he’ll turn 23 next week). Sure, the Cowboys mammoth offensive line has a helping hand in Elliot’s success, but it’s apparent that the Cowboys running back has the talent to succeed just about anywhere.
19. DeAndre Hopkins – WR, Houston Texans
The most impressive thing about Hopkins is that he’s flourished with an array of below average quarterbacks. His knack for tracking the ball in the air and sideline balance are just as impressive as his receiving skills. Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr. are the favorites to take the ‘best wide receiver’ crown from Antonio Brown.
Yes, the Cowboys have the NFL’s best guard and left tackle. Smith is a behemoth of both power and technique at one of the most important positions in pro football.
17. J.J. Watt – DE (3-4), Houston Texans
The only reason Watt isn’t in the top 10 of this list is due to the fact that he’s missed most of the past two seasons to injury. The former three-time Defensive Player of the Year is one of the most dominant edge defenders of all-time by any measure. Him and a certain Broncos’ pass rusher could each be called this generation’s Lawrence Taylor.
16. Julio Jones – WR, Atlanta Falcons
With four consecutive seasons of over 1,400 receiving yards, Jones has been one of the game’s top two receivers since 2014. But I made this list with a 70-30 rule of production in recent seasons pitted against potential during the 2018 campaign. The latter percentage makes me believe this next receiver will pass him this season.
15. Odell Beckham Jr. – WR, New York Giants
It may take a few games for him to round back into form, but with Saquon Barkley and an improved offensive line, Beckham should have a little less attention from defenses. 2018 may be the season that he becomes the game’s best wide receiver, and ultimate offensive weapon. He’s certainly on path to do that and more as he puts up early career numbers that only Jerry Rice and Randy Moss have produced.
14. Bobby Wagner – LB, Seattle Seahawks
As the ‘Legion of Boom’ era comes to a close, Bobby Wagner remains the most important player on a once-stout defense. Wagner’s speed and instincts make him a downright monster in defending the run and the pass. Seahawks GM Jon Schneider should look to build around their star linebacker.
Bobby Wagner finished 2017 with the second-highest overall grade we've seen from a LB since 2006! pic.twitter.com/hCYey2nUKz
Though his very best play happened a few seasons ago, Keuchly remains the best linebacker in pro football. He’s the Panthers’ best player.
12. Drew Brees – QB, New Orleans Saints
Many compliment Brady for his play at age 40, but Drew Brees is continuing to play quarterback at a high level at the current age of 39. He’s not in Brady or Aaron Rodgers’ class anymore, but he shouldn’t be overlooked. With the team built in New Orleans, Brees may have a real crack at ring No. 2 before he retires.
11. Todd Gurley – RB, Los Angeles Rams
Gurley was a finalist for NFL MVP due to being the catalyst of the NFL’s No. 1 offense in 2018. As Jared Goff matures, the focal point may switch from Gurley to the young quarterback. But frankly, there’s no need. Gurley is that good.
Larry Johnson in 2006 was the last player to rush for 140 yards and 3 TD vs the Seahawks in a game. Todd Gurley just did that in the 1st half. pic.twitter.com/MrR0GHQjFZ
The league’s best running back has perhaps the most unique running style in the history of pro football. Bell’s field vision is second to none among rushers, along with plenty of his other skills. In an era where running backs have been less valuable than years past, Bell is still one of the game’s best players, with only two skill position players above him on this list.
The way Le'Veon Bell can stop/start in tight spaces and make defenders miss by moving mere inches, is simply incredible. pic.twitter.com/erve3mW2V3
Ramsey has transcended into the league’s best cornerback much of the way Richard Sherman did for a moment a few years ago: by being the outspoken, brash leader of one of the league’s best defenses. He’s the face of the Jaguars.
The thing that made Jalen Ramsey's game sealing INT last week vs. Bills so impressive is that he recognized that the Bills ran a similar play two previous plays before. Knowing this, he cheated the WR's route because he recognized the alignment of the receiver and concept. pic.twitter.com/KUgMnAA3EP
Although Gronk’s full seasons are no longer statistically dominant, he still exhibits his unstoppable self when needed. During the Patriots’ game-winning drive to beat the Steelers in Week 15 and the team’s first drive to start the second half of Super Bowl LII, Gronkowski completely took the game over. He’s Randy Moss-level scary at the tight end position. He’s been passed as the game’s best non-QB on offense, though.
The only player in NFL history to be voted an All-Pro at two positions (DE, OLB), Mack is an unstoppable force on the edge and will continue to thrive in Chicago as the Bears’ new franchise player.
Khalil Mack is such a technician. Expertly sets up this rush on Tyron. Sells speed up the field to get Tyron to get deep in his set, giving him the space need to win with the inside bull rush move.
Wilson was an MVP candidate in 2017 despite playing behind the league’s worst offensive line. It seemed like he was running for his life on virtually every snap last season. No other QB could have that much success given the circumstances. If the Seahawks surprisingly return to the playoffs in 2018 in their first year of the ‘post-Legion-of-Boom’ era, it’ll be because of Wilson. He’s the third best QB in football. ‘@’ me if you’d like.
Miller is still the game’s best pass rusher. If he can mentor rookie Bradley Chubb into half of the force he is on the edge, Denver’s defense may return to how it looked in 2015.
The game’s best non-QB on offense was unstoppable again in 2017. Statistically, he’s coming off the best five-year span for a wide receiver in NFL history. Speaking of history, Brown is climbing up the greatest wide receivers of all-time list. After Jerry Rice I’ve had Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald. Brown will give the latter two a run for their money with a few more seasons at his recent level of play.
Antonio Brown has 582 receptions and 7,848 receiving yards over the past five seasons, most in NFL history over any 5-year span for both categories.
Donald has taken over as the league’s best defensive player, a title previously held by Von Miller, and J.J. Watt before him. With the arrival of Ndamukong Suh along the Rams’ defensive line, Donald should terrorize offenses from the interior at an even higher rate in 2018.
On the defensive interior, Aaron Donald and J.J. Watt have dominated like no others. pic.twitter.com/cZtSlxrc2V
Aaron Donald had 11 sacks in 2017, and he became the only defensive tackle with at least 8 sacks in his first 4 #NFL seasons since 1982. pic.twitter.com/IaqQb8XqaV
Despite another season cut short to injury, Rodgers belongs here. He’s on pace to finish as one of the four or five best quarterbacks of all-time, with an outside chance of chasing this next QB for the ultimate crown.
1. Angled drop + head movement to force LBs too over commit. Create a new throw lane & time/space to make the play (edge rush). No crossover, shoulders open, a well-timed back foot throw. Also note, this is not an over the top, high release. He attacks this flat and fast. pic.twitter.com/Bupzb372BT
The GOAT remains at the top of his game despite turning 41 in August. His impressive run since 2014 (2-1 in Super Bowls, NFL MVP at age 40) has been the highest level of quarterback play of any passer, ever. The fact that he’s doing this at his age is incredible.
Last 3 seasons, 4th quarter, under 5 mins remaining, score 7 or less…Clutch time… only 2 QBs have a PFF grade over 80: Tom Brady – 90.5 Russell Wilson – 82.3
Brady has 14 big time throws, 1 turnover worthy play in that time. That's insane.
If recent rumors of the Browns considering Baker Mayfield as the No. 1 overall pick were any indication, the NFL Draft needs to happen now, for all of our sakes. Thankfully we’re less than 48 hours away from the Browns selecting Sam Darnold. Not Mayfield, not Josh Allen, but Darnold. I believe the USC quarterback was the Browns’ top choice all along.
Darnold’s Pac-12 rival, UCLA QB Josh Rosen, has had enough of the pre-draft hype as well. He barked at his skeptics, essentially stating that Darnold, Mayfield and others may be more lauded, but that he’ll be the best QB in the draft when all is said and done.
We won’t know which of these prospects will have the better career anytime soon, but we will know which teams they’ll be on to start their careers. Here’s my projection:
1. Sam Darnold – QB, USC – Cleveland Browns
Browns opt for most analyst’s top signal caller over the the talented Allen.
2. Saquon Barkley – RB, Penn State – New York Giants
I’m not going to hedge my bets, but the Giants may draft Barkley, Quenton Nelson, Bradley Chubb or trade this pick to the quarterback-needy Bills. Instead, GM David Gettleman opts for possibly the draft’s best prospect, and will instead look for offensive lineman in rounds 2 and 3.
Congratulations to @saquon Barkley, who just became a first-time dad today. He was so excited when he called he forgot to give me the name of his new baby girl. Congrats, Saquon. The draft will be the second-biggest thing that happens to you this week. See you tomorrow!
Up until recently I had Rosen slotted here for the Jets, who gave up some picks to the Colts to slide up to No. 3. But the interest in Mayfield is apparently very real. Broadway Baker?
Been around Baker Mayfield enough the past 3 yrs to feel #Jets fans will love him as their QB .. has the grit, passion & competitiveness of Tim Tebow, but can sling it like Drew Brees .. his desire to win is contagious and his teammates rally around him
4. Bradley Chubb – DE, NC State – Cleveland Browns
Browns opt to hold onto this pick and take the best player available in Chubb. Matching him with Myles Garrett, last year’s No. 1 overall pick, may prove to be a lethal pass rushing combo for years to come.
5. TRADE: Josh Allen – QB, Wyoming – Buffalo Bills
The Bills move up in a trade with the Broncos to snag Allen. If Denver stays put Allen is a possible fit out in Mile High as well, but the Bills offer a deal they can’t refuse for their future franchise quarterback.
6. Quenton Nelson – G, Notre Dame – Indianapolis Colts
GM Chris Ballard will at least entertain someone like Denzel Ward or Roquan Smith to shore up the Colts’ terrible defense, but with Andrew Luck slated to return after missing an entire season due to injury, it’d be wise to select the top offensive line prospect in the draft.
7. Derwin James – S, Florida State – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers go with the draft’s top safety to improve their secondary.
8. Denzel Ward – CB, Ohio State – Chicago Bears
After adding Allen Robinson and Trey Burton to a young, steadily-improving offense, the Bears will look to improve their defense.
9. Roquan Smith – LB, Georgia – San Francisco 49ers
Considering Reuben Foster’s situation, the 49ers will go linebacker in the first round for the second year in a row under the defensive-minded GM John Lynch. If they believe Foster is salvageable, than maybe a wide receiver here for Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Raiders snag the versatile Fitzpatrick to help with a defense that desperately needs talent.
11. Josh Rosen – QB, UCLA – Miami Dolphins
It’s not quite the fall that Aaron Rodgers endured during the 2005 draft, but Rosen to the Dolphins is slightly unexpected. Instead of moving up for a quarterback the Dolphins get what I think may the be the draft’s best in Rosen.
12. FROM BILLS: Tremaine Edwards – LB, Virginia Tech – Denver Broncos
With a need at linebacker the Broncos trade back for two picks in the first round, getting their guy here in the long and athletic Edwards.
13. Vita Vea – DT, Washington – Washington
Although he hasn’t officially been named GM, Doug Williams is running the show in Washington. Yesterday he told the media “they’ll take the best player available.” Cliche, I know. But I think they actually stay true that and go with Vea here.
14. Marcus Davenport – DE, UTSA – Green Bay Packers
Packers take the best player available to add to their defense.
15. Mike McGlinchey – OT, Notre Dame – Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals surprise many by passing on a quarterback for McGlinchey, who moves up the draft board.
16. Mike Gesicki – TE, Penn State – Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have added three wide receivers in free agency, meaning tight end is now their biggest need. Baltimore continues to supply more weapons for Joe Flacco by adding the athletic Gesicki.
17. Leighton Vander Esch – LB, Boise State – Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers roll with the potential of Vander Esch over the ready-right-now Rashaan Evans.
18. Josh Jackson – CB, Louisville – Seattle Seahawks
The current Seahawks regime traditionally looks for bigger cornerbacks. Although Jackson is more average size than huge (6-foot, 196 pounds), he’s more lenghty than Jaire Alexander and Mike Hughes. They re-tool their secondary post-Legion-of-Boom instead of trading back.
19. Rashaan Evans – LB, Alabama – Dallas Cowboys
Even with an apparent need at wide receiver, the Cowboys go linebacker here. Evans, a perfect new-age linebacker has the range and athleticism to help defend running backs in the passing game. That’s something they’ll need versus the Eagles.
20. TRADE: Lamar Jackson – QB, Louisville – New England Patriots
With Evans gone and the Cardinals, Ravens and Chargers passing on Jackson, the Patriots hop the Bengals to ensure them of the electrifying Louisville quarterback. Bill Belichick’s friends over in Detroit (GM Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia) are willing to deal with their old club, knowing their guy will be available at No. 23.
A few notes from Dallas: +Lamar Jackson visited w/Patriots 2x: private workout in S.Fla w/McDaniels plus visit to Foxborough +He marveled at seeing Belichick laugh +Rosen has been told he looks like a cross btwn Eli & A. Rodgers (yes) +All players happy to be drafted anywhere
In this scenario the Patriots don’t have to give up too much to get Tom Brady’s successor, retaining their remaining three top 64 picks to infuse talent to a roster that needs re-tooling for another Super Bowl run. Jackson will be fine with sitting on the bench for a year or two, learning behind Tom Brady and from Josh McDaniels.
21. Will Hernandez – G, UTEP – Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals will look for a quarterback in later rounds as they rebuild their offensive line.
Offensive line or linebacker may fit here, but that’s not John Elway’s style. He goes flashy to upgrade a position who lost it’s starter, C.J. Anderson.
23. FROM PATRIOTS: Harold Landry – DE/LB, Boston College – Detroit Lions
Lions trade back and draft their edge rusher. Patricia will want a defensive player with his first pick.
24. D.J. Moore – WR, Maryland – Carolina Panthers
Panthers desperately need a wide receiver. Cam Newton can no longer survive with the lumbering Devin Funchess as his No. 1 outside option. Plus, Greg Olsen’s career is nearing it’s end. They snag the pass catcher here later in the first round.
25. Taven Bryan – DT, Florida – Tennessee Titans
Titans add to their defense, which looks to improve under defensive-minded, new head coach Mike Vrabel.
26. Calvin Ridley – WR, Alabama – Atlanta Falcons
Ridley falls a bit to Atlanta, who adds a wide receiver regardless of whether or not Julio Jones’ social media cleansing means anything to his future with the Falcons.
27. Dallas Goedert – TE, South Dakota State – New Orleans Saints
After missing out on a Jimmy Graham reunion the Saints go with Goedert here.
28. Ronnie Harrison – S, Alabama – Pittsburgh Steelers
In an attempt to finally cover Rob Gronkowski to knock off the Patriots in the AFC, the Steelers go with a safety here. Harrison has size and speed and would be a great addition to the Steelers secondary.
After passing on Lamar Jackson for the top tackle prospect, the Cardinals jump 16 spots up to trade with the Patriots – the team that drafted Jackson earlier. In New England, Belichick stockpiles picks for this year and next.
32. Sony Michel – RB, Georgia – Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles ride with the electrifying Michel as opposed to trading back.
In 2012 the young, upstart Seattle Seahawks took the league by storm. Five seasons — two NFC titles, one Super Bowl win — later the ‘Legion of Boom’ era is over.
General manager John Schneider has the ball rolling on the team’s ‘transition’ period. Seattle has officially released Richard Sherman, the poster boy of the rowdy bunch, just days after trading Michael Bennett to the defending Super Bowl champs. Additionally, Earl Thomas is on the trade block while Kam Chancellor and Cliff Avril are dealing with career-threatening injuries. The once trend-setting franchise is waving the white flag on quite the six-year stretch. Sure, the Seahawks will revamp their defense around Bobby Wagner, the NFL’s best inside linebacker, but it won’t quite feel the same.
Life goes on. Football teams whack high-priced vets all the time. The @RSherman_25 one feels different. Watching the Seahawks without Sherman will be like watching the Saints without Brees, the Cards without Fitzgerald.
This defense was fast, talented and loud, sending a ripple effect throughout the NFL as other upstart teams attempted to mirror their philosophy of building a lengthy, athletic defense (with an offense led by a Quarterback who can run or scramble) to make a Super Bowl run.
The Panthers, Falcons and Jaguars have all enjoyed some success on a model loosely based on the Seahawks, but none of have enjoyed the same amount of success, and it’s likely none ever will. The LOB’s defensive dominance was unprecedented.
This sparks the question: Where do they rank among great defenses of this era?
I’d say pretty much at the top, beating out the early 2000’s Ravens, 2002 Buccaneers, mid-2000s Bears, mid-to-late-2000s Steelers, 2008-2012 Ravens, early-2010’s 49ers and 2015 Broncos for bragging rights this century.
Before Seattle, no defense had ever featured a secondary with such size:
Richard Sherman (6’3″, 197 pounds)
Brandon Browner (6’4″, 221 pounds)
Byron Maxwell (6’1″, 198 pounds)
Kam Chancellor (6’3″, 232 pounds)
Earl Thomas (5’10”, 202 pounds)
The Seahawks built one of the best and most forward-thinking rosters in NFL history and the players themselves were also fun as hell. Can't ask for much more. Good run.
Thomas, the only average-sized defender of the group, was the most important. His tenacity and range covering the the deep middle allowed the Seahawks to flourish in their Cover 3 scheme.
With Sherman and Browner (and Maxwell) covering their third of the field in the middle and deep portions, they were allowed to neglect the shallow areas in front of them. The lightening-quick Bobby Wagner and the savvy K.J. Wright took care of that.
Then there was Chancellor. The beast at strong safety played up in the box, terrorizing receivers as basically an extra linebacker in a middle zone. His athleticism and brute force forced you to be aware of him at all times.
Wanger and Wright will remain on the team so the linebacking core will be intact, but the once-great pass rush has since seen change.
The secondary and linebacker core mixed with Bennett, Avril, and Bruce Irvin was the cherry on top of a delicious Sundae (Sunday?) defense. Now Bennett is gone, Irvin is long gone and Avril may not play again.
For four straight seasons (2012-2015) the Seahawks led the NFL in scoring defense and were No. 1 in Football Outsiders’ DVOA. They built the perfect defense to matchup with this era’s high-flying offenses. The best example of this was their 43-8 dismantling of the 2013 Denver Broncos (statistically the best passing offense of all-time) in Super Bowl XLVIII.
for me, the tip–Richard Sherman's interception in the 2014 NFC championship game–was the greatest moment in Seattle sports history.
Someday either NFL Network’s ‘A Football Life’ or ESPN’s ’30 for 30′ will do a documentary special on this group. But that’s for another day.
Today we reflect on the greatest defense of this century, which doubles as one of the most important units of all-time in how it combated the new era of offenses.
It was great while it lasted, and how long it lasted is part of what makes them great.
The only thing colder than the blizzard roaming New England is the perpetuated notion that the New England Patriots dynasty — the greatest in NFL history — is once again nearing its end.
If that lede seems cliche, it’s because it was meant to mirror the long list of attempts to forecast the end of the Patriots’ reign during the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era.
Early Friday morning ESPN’s Seth Wickersham — a brilliant reporter, to be fair – tweeted out his lengthy feature summarizing a rift between Belichick, Brady and owner Robert Kraft. ESPN heavily marketed the article, putting it as its centerpiece on their website for much of the day, with it’s attention-grabbing line ‘Is this the beginning of the end?’
How many times is this going to happen? Sure, Brady and Belichick have never been best friends. Their relationship has strictly always been business related. But the Patriots have weathered far worse media storms such as SpyGate and DeflateGate in the past, winning two Super Bowls and four AFC Championships since the validity of their winning was questioned.
The Patriots are the most polarizing team in professional sports, and have been probably for the past decade, but ESPN and various other outlets and writers have made outlandish claims in the past, even before the Patriots were looked at as what the Dallas Cowboys once were.
In 2003, after Belichick abruptly released captain Lawyer Milloy, the team was spanked by Milloy’s new team, the Bills, 31-0 in Buffalo. That sparked ESPN’s Tom Jackson to infamously claim that the Patriots players ‘hated’ Belichick, and that their season would quickly spiral out of control.
The Patriots won 17 of their next 18 games en route to a winning the Super Bowl that season and the next.
Let’s also not forget the Patriots embarrassing 41-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on a national stage in 2014. This time it was ESPN’s Trent Dilfer predicted the dynasty’s demise.
The Patriots proceeded to win 13 of their next 15 games to ultimately beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.
Now granted, there have been valid rifts in the past between Brady and Belichick reported by trusted sources like NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran, who has followed the team closely for almost two decades.
Spoke to someone close to Tom Brady. Beyond enraged at contract details that netted Broncos Wes Welker. "Disgrace" "disservice" were used.
The above tweet enraptures a plausible situation, as Brady and Welker were very close friends. Plus Curran is one of the most reliable writers who covers the Patriots, and even he sent out another tweet closely after encouraging everyone to be weary over the claims.
The enraged party in my previous tweet was someone close to Brady. Not Brady himself. Got no idea how he feels. But I bet I could guess.
Admittedly, these claims are different than those of the past. It is true that Belichick banned Brady’s health guru Alex Guerrero — who released his own statement yesterday — and much of the article centered around that and Belichick being ‘forced into a corner’ in regard to trading Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco right before the trade deadline.
The Patriots unwillingness to trade Garoppolo this past offseason when his value was at its peak suggests Belichick did plan on Garoppolo being the successor to Brady.
Belichick’s friend and former co-worker Michael Lombardi helped draft Garoppolo in 2014, a move that surely made Brady aware of his numbered days in New England. Lombardi — who now works for The Ringer — has been on record numerous times stating that the Patriots knew what they had in Garoppolo, a future franchise cornerstone.
But Brady has defied the odds, winning two Super Bowl MVPs since that 2014 decision to draft Garoppolo. Brady probably will also add a third NFL MVP award to his resume this February. He’s 40 years old and shows no signs of slowing down. Father Time will come for Brady, and even though he’s adamant about playing until the age of 45, a recent dip in production during December may suggest that Brady’s decline has begun.
But even that has been prematurely predicted ad nauseam over the years, as Brady continues to be the best player in football.
So with Garoppolo in the midst of his fourth season behind Brady, and itching to start, with Brady continuously playing at a high level, Belichick’s only other options were to let Garoppolo walk in free agency — the Patriots would have received a third-round compensatory pick — or sign Garoppolo to the franchise tag in hopes of trading him or keeping him around for one more season.
If the latter situation played out, the Patriots would have had a salary cap hit somewhere north of $44 million paying both Brady and Garoppolo. That’s just not feasible.
As expected, many of Wickersham’s claims (via his sources) are being refuted. Local beat reporters with a bevy of inside sources are stating that Garoppolo was never offfered a deal of roughly $17 million to stay, or that Brady certainly never encouraged Kraft to demand Belichick to trade Garoppolo.
To sum up what I've been told: Kraft never told Belichick to trade Garoppolo. The Patriots never offered Garoppolo a formal contract at any point. Garoppolo worked with Guerrero before and after his injury. Brady never asked anyone to trade Garoppolo. https://t.co/RXwjpG3ZAT
It’s probably true that Brady saw Garoppolo as the Aaron Rodgers to his Brett Favre or Steve Young to his Joe Montana. Garoppolo’s 5-0 start with the 49ers portrays that he is indeed a franchise quarterback. Belichick knew this and wanted to keep him around. But Belichick knew what he had to do, even if he was reluctant to do so. If reports of Kraft forcing Belichick to trade Garoppolo were true, he would probably quit.
My sources inside the Patriots deny that Robert Kraft gave Bill Belichick an ultimatum to trade Jimmy Garoppolo, and there was no "half day meeting". I was told Belichick approached RKK with 49ers offer, RRK asked BB if he liked the deal, BB said yes, deal was done.
Kraft has often stated that it’s Belichick who runs football operations, not himself, so there’s no way this trade was made over Belichick’s head.
Surely there is some tension surrounding Brady and Belichick. Maybe one day that tension will finally set them apart. This historic run will end at somepoint, but it won’t be this season. Still, there are claims that Belichick could leave for New York to coach the Giants as he encourages his underlings, coordinators Josh McDaniels (the favorite to land the job) and Matt Patricia to interview for the open position.
So Belichick would step on the toes of his apprentices that have been waiting for this moment for years, all while leaving or uprooting his sons, who are now on the Patriots’ staff? The Hoodie would abandon everything he’s built in New England because of an overbearing trainer and the fact that the greatest quarterback of all-time is still playing like the greatest quarterback of all-time at age 40? That’s what doesn’t sound plausible.
Things have changed in New England. Brady, who is so woven into the ‘Patriot Way’ that he’d be used as the very definition of a player who follows it, is no longer a fiery, 24-year-old quarterback in the midst of learning his craft. He’s now a 40-year-old superstar with a a supermodel wife. But the desire to win football games is as prevalent as ever, as is his ‘football’ relationship with Belichick, the only relationship between the two that truly matters.
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick share an exchange before their 2007 Week 17 matchup with the New York Giants. (Screenshot: NFL Films)
But on the brink of Wild Card weekend we have yet another report of the Patriots’ demise. The dynasty is over due to a disagreement between Brady and Belichick. Mind you, the reported rift is so strong that the Patriots have played themselves out of the Wild Card round and into a bye once more. During the ‘drama-filled’ season, the Patriots have won 11 of their last 12 games en route to their seventh No. 1 seed in franchise history, all of which have been during the Brady-Belichick era.
As you intake the details of this recent piece, refer to earlier “the end is near” takes I listed above. Watch clips of ESPN’s Max Kellerman predict the end of Brady year after year. Watch them all. Just realize what happened after those takes. We’re more likely to see a repeat of that than anything else.
If the Pittsburgh Steelers were ever going to beat Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in a big game, this was it. This was supposed to be it, until it wasn’t.
Only the cruelest of football gods could have constructed the latest outcome of the Steelers’ continuing series of misery versus the defending champs.
This was the game of the year. In fact, this was the regular season game of the past decade. Not since Patriots-Colts in 2007 (dubbed Super Bowl XLI 1/2) had a game received so much pre-game hype, and for good reason.
The Patriots win means Brady, who likely will win his third NFL MVP in February. He was good but not great in this trip to Heinz Field. But as his legendary career advertises, Brady was unflappable on the game-winning drive, in which he found Rob Gronkowski four times for 69 yards and a two point conversion to give the Patriots a 27-24 lead with 56 seconds remaining.
Ben Roethlisberger had led four game-winning drives of his own in the Steelers’ past five games, and he’s been known for a few clutch drives himself (Super Bowl XLIII anyone?). But after Jesse James’ touchdown catch was correctly overturned by the league’s infuriating catch rules, Big Ben’s last pass turned into the sourest of endings for a team that had recently had the look and feel of the team of destiny.
Losing Antonio Brown in the second quarter (and for the rest of the regular season) certainly hurt, but not as much as the Steelers only three-and-out of the game coming late in the fourth quarter when they needed a first down the most.
Down 24-19 with just over two minutes remaining, Brady (after a near interception from Sean Davis, who Gronkowski victimized afterword) constructed yet another surgical clinic on the heart of the Steelers defense, as well as the roaring fans in Heinz Field, who left the stadium in shock after the game.
Brady again came through in the most crucial situation of his season. After all, this was the game of the year, meaning this was the biggest moment of the entire NFL season in general.
What’s even more incredible is Brady’s late game heroics in his biggest moments since 2014.
Consider this: If you combine Brady’s passing numbers for the finals drives of Super Bowl XLIX, Super Bowl LI, and this past game, the biggest regular season game of the 2010s, Brady’s statistics and accomplishments are as followed:
16-for-18, 184 yards, three touchdown drives, two crucial two-point conversions, two Super Bowl wins, two Super Bowl MVP awards, and what may be the AFC’s No. 1 seed and his third NFL MVP award after Sunday’s results.
That is incomprehensible. It may be overkill to still be in awe of Brady at this point, but he continuously raises the bar of excellence. If the Patriots are to win Super Bowl LII in Minnesota, Brady would have two Super Bowl MVP awards and an NFL MVP trophy all in the span of 12 months.
As it is, Brady is in the midst of the best four-year stretch for a quarterback in NFL history, and he’s doing this at ages 37-to-40.
ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio said it best during his guest appearance on the new program Golic & Wingo yesterday morning.
“It was such an incredible scene in the Patriots locker room after the game,” Paolantonio said. “Tom Brady, feet up in his locker FaceTiming with his children back home about fantasy football and The Last Jedi. It’s sort of like okay, I just cut the heart out (on the road) of my biggest rival and I’m just like another 40-year-old guy who went to work. Brady has become like Jordan to me. He wants to win at all costs, and at the end it’s just business as usual.”
Touching back on Brady’s high level of play at this age. He’s not only at his best right now, he is playing better than any NFL player ever has played at any age. With Carson Wentz and Antonio Brown out of the race, he is the NFL MVP (although Todd Gurley is a close second). Wrap your head around that while the conversation switches to the best tight end in NFL history.
Like Brady, Gronk continues to prove doubters wrong by returning to his best form after every major injury he’s sustained. Like Brady always is, including on Sunday, Gronkowski was uncharacteristically hyped to an aggressive extent during the game. Gronk has always been known for his outgoing personality, but most of his antics are all in good fun. He was out for blood on Sunday, but in a performance-based way as opposed to his borderline head-hunting stunt that caused him to miss last week’s loss in Miami.
Getty photographer Justin Berl capturing what I consider to be an iconic photograph of Tom Brady leaving the field in Pittsburgh. This man enjoys playing sports for a living. pic.twitter.com/NF6F1qfqw4
Perhaps it was that situation that fueled Gronkowski, who had the best game of his career considering the moment. Brady, who clapped at the booing fans of Heinz Field as he ran onto the field, and screamed in elation at as he left after the win, may be throwing to his pass-catching clone in terms of fiery attitude and clutch play as of the last few seasons.
Yesterday, Fox Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe called Gronkowski the most dominant non-offensive quarterback in the NFL. To think that some writers were calling Travis Kelce the best tight end in football earlier in the year? Blasphemy.
The Steelers defense had no answer for Gronk in the second half, who reeled in 135 of his 168 yards in the second half. Their best defensive player, linebacker Ryan Shazier, was in luxury box and was shown on the big screen to a rousing applause. But on the field, the Steelers woes versus Gronkowski (135 of his 168 receiving yards in the second half) remained. Unlike past meetings where the Steelers refused to move away from their comfortable zone coverage scheme, the Steelers found some success in man coverage. But the decision to leave Sean Davis alone on Gronk during the final drive produced the results you’d expect. A Gronk victory by the form of mismatch.
Yet the Steelers still had their chances to win, even after the overturned catch, no-catch situation with tight end Jesse James. Roethlisberger, who has two Super Bowl wins, is clutch in his own right. But like Russell Wilson, a great pressure player himself, Roethlisberger made perhaps the biggest gaffe of his career against the mentally-tough, well-coached Patriots, who are a reflection of their head coach, Bill Belichick.
Roethlisberger used a fake spike to take the lead versus the Cowboys in the final seconds of a shootout last season. But the Patriots weren’t fooled. Big Ben’s pass was of course tipped by Eric Rowe, and ricocheted into the welcoming arms of Duron Harmon, the Patriots underrated closer known for his game-ending interceptions.
Antonio Brown (partially torn calf muscle) is believed to have a chance to return for the postseason. The Patriots won eight straight games and led the league in defensive scoring during that span with linebacker Kyle Van Noy as their defensive leader. He’s missed the last two games, but the Patriots will get him back for the playoffs.
So things may seem a little different when the Steelers and Patriots square off in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium in January (which they most certainly will). In fact, it seems as if the Steelers have closed the gap on their prolonged inferiority to their big brother franchise of the 2000s. But given their past results and the improbable outcome in Pittsburgh on Sunday, the result for the Steelers may forever be the same.
On a cold November Sunday night in Denver, Tom Brady stared Von Miller and the Broncos defense in the face knowing that a victory would keep them in prime position for home field advantage in the AFC, while a loss would cripple them in that very same race.
Of course, this season things were different. This was not 2015, a year in which this same scenario invoked a Brock Osweiler-led comeback by the Broncos to win 30-24 in overtime, to eventually win the AFC’s No. 1 seed and Super Bowl 50.
In the 2017 version of this story, special teamer Chris Harper is not muffing kicks for the Patriots. Osweiler has left and returned to Denver after joining the Houston Texans. A one-year stint that ended with a Texans playoff loss to the Patriots in Foxboro last January.
For Osweiler, it was again Brady that virtually ended his season. For Brady, a game in Denver always comes with extra motivation. The Broncos eliminated the Patriots twice in Rocky Mountain AFC Title Games in 2013 and 2015. The same happened in a 2005 AFC divisional playoff bout. That was Brady’s first postseason loss of his career after starting 10-0 in such games.
After a 41-16 victory over the Broncos (3-6) this time around, Brady has left Denver on a five-game losing streak, essentially ending their season. With 266 passing yards and three touchdowns, Brady was still throwing with a 25-point lead with less than seven minutes to play. He looked for Brandin Cooks deep twice. This was personal for Brady. He wanted this.
I get the sense Tom Brady smells blood in Denver right now. #Broncos have always been his kryptonite. He should bury them tonight. #SNF
This is just another corpse of a former AFC contender. Another destroyed rival empire in the wasteland that is a prolonged territorial dominance for the Patriots in the conference.
Brady and Bill Belichick have survived every forceful challenge that has come their way in the AFC in their existence. The Peyton Manning-led Colts. The Manning-led Broncos. The mentally-tough, no-nonsense Baltimore Ravens from 2008-2014. The talented Chargers led by LaDanian Tomlinson. Rex Ryan and the Jets had even come and gone with some success against the New England empire.
A few scars have been dealt in these rivalries. The Patriots have been tripped up by foes multiple times in big games, but they always get the last laugh.
It seems every other year is equipped with such revenge wins for Brady. Even with his second consecutive win in Denver, Brady is still just 4-7 at Invesco Field at Mile High.
Michael Jordan, widely considered the greatest NBA player of all-time, used past losses and opponents’ remarks as fuel for victories, much like Brady.
Like NBA great Michael Jordan, who routinely fed off bulletin board material to avenge silly quotes by opponents with his play on the court, Brady takes things personally, even if it doesn’t appear so.
Even teammate and friend Julian Edelman is on record recently admitting Brady is “sensitive.” Likewise, Danny Amendola has said Brady has gotten mad when he’s lost in ping pong, and has broken paddles over such losses. He’s as competitive as they come.
So it’s imaginable that a win in Denver might be more special to Brady than a win over the Chargers at home two weeks ago.
Of course, regular season wins over the inferior present-day Broncos teams won’t change past results, or make up for AFC Championship Game losses.
Brady gears up for a snap versus the Broncos in the 2015 AFC Championship Game in Denver. The Broncos won 20-18. (Screenshot: NFL Films)
The same rings true for Brady’s clutch comeback win in New York over Eli Manning and the Giants in 2015. His game-winning drive to best his prime Super Bowl nemesis doesn’t change the fact that Eli Manning will most likely always be 2-0 versus him in Super Bowls, but it’s still something.
Brady’s arch nemesis (and also friend off the field, sort of) had always been Eli’s older brother Peyton Manning. Despite beginning his career 6-0 versus the older Manning, Brady will most likely finish his career with a combined 2-5 record against the Manning brothers in championship games. That’s not counting two of Brady’s worst teams that fell to Peyton on the road in AFC Championship Games in 2006 and 2013.
But Brady most likely–although he won’t admit it–takes solace in the fact that he has five rings to the Mannings’ combined four. It’s ironic that in the win on Sunday, Brady became the all-timer leader in road victories with 86 wins, passing Peyton for the mark in the stadium of the last team he played for.
In the NFL, Brady is like the aforementioned Jordan in the NBA. He’s now the undisputed GOAT (greatest of all time). He’s the Wayne Gretzky, the Serena Williams or Steven Spielberg (I’d argue Christopher Nolan or Martin Scorsese, but that’s for another time) of pro football. Simply put, he’s the best ever.
Since turning 37 years old in 2014, and his future being questioned in a 41-14 loss to the Chiefs that season, Brady has won two Super Bowls and is in the midst of the best four-year stretch of his career, or any quarterback’s career for that matter. His play has improved each season since 2013, which is absurd considering the fall off of every quarterback ever at his age. The same cliff-diving that ESPN First Take’s Max Kellerman has countlessly predicted for him prematurely.
Tom Brady since turning 39 a month before the 2016 season: TD passes 47 Interceptions 4 — (Regular-season only)
Of course, the time will come when Brady will retire like every other player in the history of this league. But that time is not now. Not after this season, and maybe not even after the next. It will never be when his critics say he’s done, because he hears those things despite the notion that he may be unaware of them.
Brady feeds off being doubted. He lives for conquering his foes. During the DeflateGate saga, when Brady’s private e-mails were leaked in 2015, one message in particular stood above the rest.
“I’ve got another 7 or 8 years, He has 2,” Brady said of Peyton Manning in an e-mail sent to a close friend.
After word got out and Brady was forced to address the e-mail, he played them off of course. But he meant what he said. He likes Manning, but his competitiveness takes over. The same competitiveness that has led him to two Super Bowls wins since DeflateGate, not to mention Spygate.
Brady heard what critics had to say then, and he heard them earlier in the season after another brutal early-season loss to the Chiefs.
But thanks to Brady the Patriots (7-2) are back in business. They’re tied atop the AFC with the Steelers and are the favorite to return to the Super Bowl in February.
The win in Denver began the second half of the season with one of Brady’s age-old victories: the revenge win.
The victory over Osweiler’s Broncos won’t erase the loss to them on Sunday Night Football two years ago that began the downward spiral of the 2015 season. But it can serve as the catalyst for a second half run to Super Bowl LII.
40-year-old Tom Brady
231-341 (67.7%) 2,807 yards 19 TD 2 INT 111 rating
Greatest there's ever been and he's still without question the greatest there is right now
Once again, Brady is in the thick of the NFL MVP race and has the Patriots rolling into November and beyond just like many past winters, with a little help from his competitive edge, which is often satisfied with a little revenge.
New-look Saints make statement in Buffalo
In a weekend that featured great stories such as another explosive outing by the Rams (7-2) and a huge road win over Washington for the Vikings (7-2), it was the Saints (7-2) who made the biggest statement in the NFC with a 47-10 pounding of the Bills in Buffalo.
With seven straight wins, the Saints are no longer quietly winning. This one was defiant and unusual of the Sean Payton-Drew Brees tenure.
Sunday was the 25th time in the Drew Brees era that The @Saints have scored at least 40 points in a game. It was also the 1st time they did it without Brees throwing at TD pass
The Saints ran 48 times for 298 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. The two-back attack of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara each ran for over 100 yards, with Ingram running for three scores.
The @Saints are the 1st team to rush for 295+ yards & 6+ TDs in a single game since the 1957 Cleveland Browns (11/24/57) pic.twitter.com/7V0tvZY7g1
With an amped-up running game and a defense that has allowed just 14.3 points per game during their seven-game winning streak, the Saints are a contender and should be labeled as such.
Their play on the road has dramatically improved in 2017, but they still love it at home. If the Saints can earn the No. 1 or 2 seed in the NFC, they have a realistic shot to make Super Bowl LII in Minnesota on February 4.
Brees is already looked at as one of the 10 or 15 best quarterbacks of all-time. But with just one Super Bowl ring, a second would go a long way in thrusting him much higher on that list.
After years of dealing with a broken defense and running game, Brees now has help. He no longer needs to be an annual 5,000 yard passer for the Saints to win games, and that’s a good thing.
After a one-week hiatus due to a power outage, the podcast is back with Cousin Dylan joining as always. We discussed the Jimmy Garoppolo trade, the Chiefs’ struggles (4:04), our top three NFC teams (6:47), DAL-ATL (12:53), NO-BUF & MIN-WAS (14:55), NE-DEN (17:34) and Cumberland Soccer in their conference tournament (20:45).
No Guts No Glory 