Don’t say I didn’t tell you that the Mankins trade, or money dump, was a big mistake. Imagine being in Brady’s shoes and standing in the huddle and talking to the offensive line that is supposed to be your defense against those monsters on the other team intent on driving you into the grounds. You are 37 years old and as expert as any in the game in the art of quarterbacking. You know how important the line’s role is and you look at two of the members who were playing in college last year, 22 or 23-year-old kids. You used to look at an old grizzly bear-type who was meaner than the proverbial junk yard dog but now some kids are smiling at you. That just about summarized the Patriot’s predicament which is Brady’s loss of confidence in his protection.
Two rookies were being played against season veterans. Two kids just out of college were thrown onto the field to learn how to foil those on the other side who have been up against the best. They don’t have it in them no matter how good they might be. Maybe after a few more games or sometime next year, but playing freshman linemen whether in college or the NFL is a thing that is far from advisable.
This team has for some curious reason had its first games scheduled against very weak opponents. Miami, Minnesota, Oakland, and Kansas City. The power rankings for the NFL prior to last night’s game had the Patriots at number 7, the Chiefs at 22, the Dolphins at 25, the Vikings at 29, and the Raiders at 30. In other words the Patriots were supposed to roll over these teams and be 4 – 0 at this time. The league likes the Patriots to look like a big winner since it is good for the ratings. The Patriots have a large following. The fix was in but two of the other teams didn’t get the message.
I’m telling you the Patriots have been dismal even though they are playing against dismal teams. That does not look good for the future but it does not mean they are not going into the playoffs. The other teams in its division are also in the lower half of the power ratings with the Bills at 19 and the Jets at 21. What it does mean is that when the playoffs come and the Patriots have to play some good teams they won’t be able to hold a candle to them.
Two plays still linger in my mind when I think of last night’s game. One was when Brady was sitting on the bench and Jimmy “Ciaou” Garoppolo the Italian Stallion was in at quarterback. On one play a Patriot player carrying the ball was running down the far sideline toward the goal. The game’s already lost so whether he scores or not really doesn’t matter. Two Chief defenders were closing in on him when out of nowhere came a Patriot playing as if the game is on the line and he tries to block out the pursuers. He does but the one carrying the ball goes out of bounds. “Wow,” I thought, “that guy has his heart and soul into the game.” It was Julian Edelman playing hard right up to the end.
The other play was the second interception pass thrown by Brady. He was looking for a player deep crossing over the middle but he apparently didn’t see the Chief’s player floating near him. He unleashed the pass and it was easily picked off. That was so unlike the Brady I’ve seen over the years that I knew he is not on his game.
I suggest he’s lost his edge. Someone suggested he was like Bledsoe. There are similarities. Bledsoe became an average quarterback after he was severely injured in a Jets game. He never got his confidence back. Brady losing Mankins has lost some of his. He can still get it back but he’ll need better protection. Now the team starts to play some of the better teams in the NFL so we’ll see what the future holds.
Keep in mind Brady has no need to play the game anymore. He’s made his mark, his future is assured. He can do almost anything he wants and make as much as he is now making. He and “the wife”, as my nephew would say, want him not to become a cripple. They already feel betrayed by the owner putting him at risk by selling off his protection.
Brady has nothing to play for. He knows this team is years away from another Super Bowl. He knows the owner is interested in maximizing his profit. So he and the wife may be looking at doing the same thing.
Matt,
Some how the link to this story showed up under the story about the death of Mayor Mennino (RIP; a good man). Maybe because you had Brady and the Patriots dead and buried….No Mankins = No problem. Looks like you better stick to the courtroom. Your football assesments are about as accurate as the average weather forecaster!!
Declan:
You are right – never did well assessing football teams – but did think the Mankins trade was a bad deal.
★ Alcatraz … But anything is apparently possible for WHITEY THE MAGIC MURDERER … Right Matt, or less than likely ???
Matt:
You have yet to respond to the Flemmi MO post by Patty in the Sept.24 thread ( Lies in the WB Saga part two of two) ; It delineates a sixties era rage kill of a Flemmi galpal that seems an eerie template for the Davis/Hussey crime of passion frenzy kills. That unfortunate young Flemmi consort in the sixties ” rub out ” was found with a money order ( MO 🙂 ) , pardon a grisly sense of irony where Flemmi is concerned, signed by Flemmi on her body. This is not an unusual feature in the ” Trophy Kill ” orientation Flemmi luxuriated in with his female victims. OR … do you think that Whitey The Magic Murderer ” rubbed that woman out ” for Passive Stevie Flemmi as well ???
YEP ….Whitey is the Magic Murderer .
He will ‘” Rub Out the Women ” ; Hell, he’ll rub out a Priest if he’s in the killin’ mood. If you had two young women you had molested and exploited, one since childhood and the other since late adolescence, and they had become inconvenient, Hell, you wouldn’t have to be personally ” Rubbing one out ” , let alone two. You could have Whitey The Magic Murderer rub them out while you meekly and obediently watched. YEP … Sounds believable alright. NOT !!!
The solution to the Pat’s problems is to bring back Charlie Weiss. He is an offensive genius and Bellichik is a defensive one. They couldn’t lose with those two. Weiss has been, in addition to coaching, the chief foreign policy advisor for the last four Presidents. How else do you explain the state of our overseas affairs? 2. Whitey didn’t kill the women otherwise he would have disposed of Grieg. Wyshak can’t impose any more time on WB so he’ll punish his girlfriend as an alternative. Flemmi, Martorano, Sperrazza, DeMeo and Karate Patera did kill women. WB doesn’t fit the profile. Remember the FEDS blamed Connors for Sperrazza’s killings. Same thing with Flemmi and WB.
NC:
1. Agree that Belichik and Weiaa made an undefeatable combo. We also need an ownership change. We should bring back Billy Sullivan.
2. Whitey couldn’t dispose of Greig. He needed her to buy him his medicine. You don’t kill your nurse. Plus, Greig turned out to be tougher than Whitey so he was probably afraid of her and that’s why he kept all the guns in the apartment to defend himself from her.
Don’t be so sure Wyshak can’t impose more punisment, he still has Florida and the death penalty. It is rumored that he has plans to leave Boston and go to Florida when Whitey is sentenced to death so that he can apply for the job of being his executor. The only thing he doesn’t like is that they don’t use the ISIS method of execution.
Sperrazza said, as I’ve noted before, you kill one the rest are easier. I don’t think the sex of a person would deter a person from murder. Look at all the guys who murder their wives and they haven’t murdered anyone before. Whitey rubbed the women out. It was his MO to go along with his buddies Too bad Whitey didn’t hang around with Louise Days kids. Then we would have had Days and Weeks keeping him company.
The federals blamed Connor for Sperazza’s murder of the two young women because they wanted to deal with him – the knew Connor was always up to sell someone else down the road – their ultimate target was Delahunt and the state police which Connor would have gladly given them. Behind all this was John Connolly and Ted Harrington. Sperrazza who was sentenced to a natural life sentence was let out by the federals. I expect Benji Flemmi will be out as soon as Whitey gets his death sentence.
According to the Lawrence Journal-World, Weis was making $2.5 million a year, and will still receive the full $7 million-plus still owed him.