Bill Belichick proves again that he’s a step above — and ahead of — other NFL coaches
COMMENTARY
By the end of the season, after a litany of opposing NFL head coaches leave Foxborough with their eyes crossed and mouths agape, there will be a stretch of them waiting for the axe to fall, with the lot of them unable to do the impossible tasks that their employers entrusted them with.
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Meanwhile, Bill Belichick will retreat to Nantucket, where he’ll wave to passersby on the piers, grab some samples at Cisco, and navigate the waves aboard his boat, VI Rings.
Or, whatever it’s called by then.
Forgive Belichick if he arrives to Gillette Stadium a little late this weekend in preparation for the Buffalo Bills at home next Sunday. He’s probably going to be up late for the next few nights enjoying repeated viewings of the game film from Thursday night’s 27-0 win over the Houston Texans. It was, indeed, a victory that stitched together all three phases of football — offense, defense, and special teams, of course, with the coach never missing the chance to preach the importance of each — into an impressive, overall package. One that included a third-string rookie quarterback making the first start of his brief career.
Whatever.
Drew Bledsoe. Michael Bishop. Tom Brady. Matt Cassell. Jimmy Garoppolo. Jacoby Brissett.
Whatever.
At this point, one could imagine Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels able to comprehensively figure out a way to win with JaMarcus Russell at quarterback, particularly if they’re able to watch their kickoff team recover a pair of Texans fumbles to set up two of the only three touchdowns on the night. Especially if the Patriots’ much-vaunted defense rebounds from its lackluster second-half against the Miami Dolphins four days ago to pitch the first shutout for the franchise since a 28-0 win over Miami in 2012.
Belichick doesn’t mind nights like that either. But he loves ones like he saw on Thursday.
One where Ryan Allen, the punter, is just as much a reason for the win as the quarterback.
“Tremendous. Tremendous. Field position was phenomenal. Seemed to be like 90 yards every time they had the ball,” the Patriots’ head coach said. “We punted well, we covered well, we covered our kicks well. We had a couple of chances in the return game. We converted our scoring opportunities. The entire special teams unit, coaching staff, they did a tremendous job tonight. We obviously needed that, and they really delivered it.”
Houston came into the game ranked 17th in the NFL with 21 points averaged over its first two games (the Patriots were 12th, with an average of 27). Quarterback Brock Osweiler had done little thus far to justify the mammoth $72 million deal he received over the winter through his first two games with his new team. He hadn’t been too awful (499 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions), but on Thursday against the Patriots, it was hard to reason awarding him $72 for a postgame meal.
Allen pinned Houston’s offense inside the 20-yard-line five times on the night, but he can’t be reason alone why the Texans finally pulled off their first play in Patriots territory with just a little more than a minute left in the third quarter, their 43rd snap of the game.
The Texans aren’t that bad.
They can’t be.
The Patriots are that good though.
They always are.
“The game plan was simple. Just don’t give them the big plays,” said Patriots safety Devin McCourty.
Or, really, any, as it turned out.
New England’s kicking team came up with the biggest plays of the night, taking advantage of the NFL’s new kickoff return rule. By kicking high and short to force a return in lieu of the ball ending up on the 25-yard-line, the Patriots set up a pair of scores following Texans return team cough ups. Brissett scampered 27 yards for his first professional touchdown in the first quarter to make it a 10-0 game. It was the longest scoring run for a Patriots quarterback since Steve Grogan ran one in from 41 yards against the New York Jets…in 1976.
In the second half, another recovery led to a LeGarrette Blount touchdown after two pass interference penalties on the Texans ultimately set the Patriots up on the one-yard-line. It would be the first of Blount’s two scores on the night, the other a 41-yard blast that aided to his 105 yards on the night. Take your time, Dion Lewis.
“I think we have core guys that go out there and lead,” McCourty said. “It always looks good when we do that.”
Brissett was 11 of 19 on the night, throwing for 103 yards, running for 48 more. It won’t get a mention in the spaces above the Patriots Pro Shop with the other highlights of franchise past, but not bad for a kid making his first start less than 10 weeks after showing up to training camp for the first time. He helped exhibit the mastery of Belichick and McDaniels as a tandem. They adjusted the playbook to play to Brissett, without reducing it to a third-grade level. (Apologies to all third graders. And Jeff Fisher.)
“He’s done nothing but come in here and work as hard as he possibly can. He’s just a hard-working kid that is really dedicated to doing what’s right for the team,” Belichick said.
“I’m glad we have him.”
He’s also just another guy who has contributed now in Belichick’s 226 career wins, now tied for fourth-most, with Curly Lambeau, on the all-time head coaching list.
“Today’s not about me, this is about our team,” Belichick said when asked about the accomplishment at his post-game press conference. “It’s about our players, about our assistant coaches, about the job that they did. I wouldn’t really want anything to deflect the credit that they deserve for what they accomplished tonight.”
The Patriots are 3-0, and Brady is still but a week-plus away.
Brady. Garoppolo. Brissett. Whatever.
Just as long as all three get a ride on VII Rings some time next summer.
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