Social media has been full of “they’ve ruined my holidays!” proclamations from Patriots fans since Sunday night’s win at Denver.
Which is ridiculous. What did they ruin? Your team won a game. They’re still going to receive a high (or low, depending on your point of view) draft pick in April. Will the 2nd, 3rd or 4th pick of the first round be THAT much different from the 1st?
Of course, depending on a teams’ needs, that is subject to debate. And when you’re 3-11 (now 4-11) on the season, you have a lot of needs. A new quarterback? Receivers? Linemen?
Yes, plenty of needs. But the most pressing need – may be the need to understand there is no such thing as ‘tanking’ for a draft pick – or losing purposely in order to gain a more favorable position in the upcoming draft.
To begin, it’s really hard to get 53 guys on a football field to do what you WANT them to do, much less to get them doing something else. Or have you not been paying attention to the lack of discipline on the field that has led to many of the current issues?
On top of that, football players are ultra-competitive. This is their job, their livelihood. They go through great stress and often a lot of pain to reach a level of competitiveness that gives them a chance to succeed.
To have someone suggest they ‘lay down’ and absorb that pain or a defeat is contrary to the very nature of athletic competition.
“That’s BS,” Patriots’ linebacker Mack Wilson told the media a couple of weeks ago.
“We aren’t here just to give games up,” defensive tackle Christian Barmore added (via the Boston Globe) when he was asked if there was a message to anyone who might suggest a win is exactly what this team doesn’t need right now. “We’re here to play football.”
Of course, they are. To suggest otherwise is anti-competitive. Unrealistic. And pretty much impossible.
“I don’t think anybody on this team is quitting. We’re going to keep fighting,” veteran center David Andrews said postgame Sunday night. “I don’t think personally, as a leader, you can ever lay down and quit. I can’t do that, and I won’t do that.”
The 2023 Patriots have many faults. Competitiveness is not one of them. Why else would you see a team blow a big second-half lead on the road and make an effort to battle back to the brink of victory behind a kicker that had become a poster child for incompetence? That’s not a tanking team, and certainly not one with tanking in its’ collective DNA.
Which likely doesn’t exist anywhere in the NFL. You may want it to because it fits a logical narrative within your own mind. But I’d argue you’ve never been where these guys have been. Look at it this way – at least their holidays weren’t ruined.
Kicking their troubles away
It all came down to the placekicker, a rookie 4th-round draft pick that has shown plenty of boom with his leg but little accuracy thus far. Chad Ryland is dead last among kickers in field goal accuracy this season through 16 weeks, connecting on a mere 65% of his attempts.
He missed an earlier attempt from 47 yards in the second quarter and also doinked the left upright on a PAT attempt in the third quarter. With success on either kick, it’s likely the last-second theatrics would not have been required.
- Ep. 197: Fields to Pittsburgh, Still Available Free Agentsby Full Press Coverage on March 18, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Not exactly evoking memories of Nick Folk, Stephen Gostkowski, or Adam Vinatieri, is he?
But when it came time for redemption, Ryland delivered the game-winner from 56 yards. He showed the leg and the promise New England may have seen when selecting him in the first place. Put the pitchforks, torches, and tickets for the unemployment line away…for today.
Around Full Press Coverage
NFL: Eye Test For Two Ep 181: HOF Semifinalist Tiki Barber Joins The Show
NBA: Stackin’ The NBA: Toronto Raptors Preview
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Opinion: Maybe the Bowl Championship Series Got It Right All Along
FULL PRESS HOCKEY: NHL Rumors: Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, Seattle Kraken
PODCAST: According To Who? Ep 2: Top 5 Super Bowls Of All Time
WANT MORE PODCASTS? Check Out Some Of The Latest From Around The FPC Network
Line ’em up
Discussing the Patriots’ offensive line issues has gone from ridiculous to sublime. Too many to count, not enough talent or quality depth. And likely not enough quality coaching to assist with many of the issues that need to be dealt with in due time.
Sure, three penalties for a mere 25 yards in walk-offs is considered a good game—especially this season. But when two of those flags (Atonio Mafi) either derailed or threatened to derail promising offensive drives and potential scores, you can make a case for a Patriot rebuild beginning right here.
And we didn’t even mention the first snap of the game with line protection breaking down, causing Bailey Zappe to fumble the ball deep in his own territory.
What’s so special?
Ready to throw in the towel on the Patriots’ special teams, too? Doesn’t appear to be much rhyme or reason to a philosophy other than 11 different guys with their own agendas trying to make plays and forgetting to do things. Like tackling the ball carrier.
Punter Bryce Baringer stopped a 52-yard punt return from Marvin Mims. On early field position alone, New England was beaten to the point Denver should have had a comfortable lead.
Only through the late theatrics from Chad Ryland did the Patriots’ special teams gain a smidgeon of redemption. But it was enough to win a football game.