In celebrating all the great performances and wins I would like to start this week with a hero, an idol, a sorcerer, a Jedi Master…
Bill Belichick.
He has been the best coach in the NFL for the last 15 years. He took a northern California dreamboat who wasn’t even the full time starter at Michigan and in the face of injury to their franchise QB turned him into a Super Bowl Champion. Winning 3 of the next 5 super bowls they became a dynasty. While it took him 10 years between the last one and the most recent (2015) he won the division every year but once and made it to 2 other super bowls. (DAMN YOU ELI MANNING!!!)…
He is hated by 80% of NFL fans and 100% of NFL Commissioners. Sometimes he bends the rules, other times he flat out breaks them right in your face. He’s a 3-time winner of coach of the year and the only coach to ever take a team 16-0 (Don Shula went undefeated when they only played 14 game). He has been able to find a way to win even through the Free Agency area.
All the great coaches that came before him were amazing and rightfully recognized for their innovation and their effect on the game, but they were all able to do it before the time of free agency. This was a time when you drafted a player they were yours! They couldn’t leave for another city or play for another team. If you built the greatest offensive line in the league you had those players their entire career. If you were lucky enough to draft Joe Montana and Steve Young then you had them both the length of their time playing until you were finished with them.
Bill hasn’t had that luxury. He has to evaluate guys more closely than any of his predecessors and do it all within a Salary Cap. How does he do that? He coaches them up! He doesn’t care if you were a first round draft pick or an undrafted free agent. Everyone is valued based on what they produce on the field. He coined the phrase “Do Your Job.” That is everyone from the Star QB to the guy who runs the projector in the meeting room. Everyone is responsible for his own work. If you fail, you are coached up. If you fail again, you are let go. Perfection is unobtainable, but always strived for. If you continue to listen to our podcast or read my articles you will become nauseated by my love and obsession with this team and with Coach Belichick, but I do not apologize.
He has done more with less talent than any coach in the history of the game, and he isn’t finished yet.
Now to get to this weeks celebration (wow this guy takes the long way into town), the Patriots went on the road to play one of the best teams in the league. They went without the greatest QB in the history of the game, the best TE in the league, their best offensive lineman, and their best pass-rusher. Even I thought they had no chance. I was wrong. You know why they had a chance? They had the smartest man on the sidelines orchestrating one of the most impressive game plans I have watched. And when the game was over Coach Belichick was asked, “How did you pull that one off?” His response, “Everyone just did their job.”
Other notables to celebrate (Does anyone else need a cigarette after that?):
Bobby Petrino and Lamar Jackson need to quit their day jobs because they are made for prime time! This is the most explosive offense in the country right now and they have their biggest test of the year coming up Saturday. If only college football can move that game to the Saturday night because these guys do their best work when the lights come on. I am calling for the upset and ready for Louisville to crash the playoff party.
Woo Pig Suey!!! The Arkansas Razorbacks just pulled off the biggest SEC win of the year so far. On the road against the TCU Horn Frogs and they gave them pure hell. You never want to be playing Bret Bielema when the game goes into Over Time. He seems to never loose those game. And if you want to dive deeper into the nerdiness, right now the Hogs are holding the “Belt.” ( collegefootball belt.com/ ) These are some guys that have way too much time on their hands and I’m grateful for them! Check them out.
Did you see the set of nuts on Jack Del Rio Sunday? How about the Oakland (soon to be Las Vegas) Raiders? Pulling it all out in New Orleans, which is something usually saved for Bourbon St, and going for 2-pt to win the game! I love the call. I loved that David Carr made the call on the field. I picked the Saints in that game but as soon as I saw them going for it I was immediately changed my mind. Huge win to start the season and please let me know when the new Las Vegas merchandise is available. I’m ready to buy now.
Chip Kelly!!! My boy, I never gave up hope that you could be successful in this league. Okay, I’ll calm down a little. I know it was the Rams and I’ll get to them tomorrow, but it was good to see him get a big time win.
And finally where it all began Thursday night, with the Broncos. The way they play defense and run the ball is going to make them tough to beat. Trevor Siemian looked fine and CJ Anderson and that offensive line looked great. Other than the Patriots this was the most shocking and biggest win of the week in my opinion.
Congrats to all the teams and their fans flying high after this week. If I didn’t get to your team today, don’t worry; tomorrow will be a new day.
