PATS IN PERSPECTIVE
Now that the season has run its course, now that the final game has come and gone, honest appraisals of the New England Patriots can at last begin.
Trying to come to any concrete conclusions about the Pats before getting a result from Super Bowl XLII was premature and shortsighted. It's stupidity personified trying to make judgments about any team without factoring in all the outcomes and data.
No evaluation of coach Bill Belichick's squad could possibly be complete until we saw how the contest against the tenacious New York Giants played out. But with that game now in the books, getting a line on the Patriots' place in history becomes crystal clear. All the speculation and supposition can finally be put to rest and what remains is cold, hard reality.
So here is what we learned in the aftermath of the Giants' shocking 17-14 takedown of the heretofore invincible Pats.
First off, the 18-1 Patriots aren't a great team. It's impossible to be deemed a team for the ages when you don't even win the championship. Being titlists is how all elite clubs are measured and in this regard, New England came up empty. Without the Lombardi Trophy in tow, the Pats fall far short of what constitutes greatness.
Though Tom Brady hardly disgraced himself with his effort versus the G-Men, he wasn't exactly a world-beater either. And this on the heels of a lackluster performance against the Chargers makes Brady appear somewhat mortal. So for all those who had already anointed him the greatest QB of all-time, it's time to rein in the hyperbole.
Yes, Brady is gifted, efficient and his talent is undeniable. If his career ended today, he's deservedly earned for himself a place in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. But the one-time Michigan star still has a ways to go in both deed and garnering hardware, before he can be considered the best who ever laced on a pair of cleats. Without another ring to match the legendary Joe Montana's total of four, Brady can't be thought of as being the standard by which all QBs are measured.
Much like the rush to elevate Brady to an unchallengeable status, a segment of the media attempted to put Belichick on a pedestal that was beyond reach. Super Bowl week was filled with idle chatter that asserted that Belichick was unquestionably the finest coach ever to roam an NFL sideline. Ah, not quite so fast.
The equal of Vince Lombardi? The superior of Bill Walsh? The better of Chuck Noll? More influential than Tom Landry and Don Shula? Of greater historical significance than Paul Brown? Please, may we get some perspective here!
No one denies that what Belichick has achieved is noteworthy, impressive and in some ways, awe-inspiring. And like his marquee quarterback, Belichick has already done more than enough to punch his ticket to Canton. Yet, there's still more work to do and titles to be won before he can be acknowledged as coaching's yardstick. As long as Belichick is stuck at three Super Bowl crowns, it's hard to think of him as the greatest ever.
And while I'm on the subject of Belichick, allow me to get something off my chest and vent. While he may be a phenomenal organizer and tactician, when it comes to sportsmanship and class, Belichick is strictly semi-pro! Long known for his boorish behavior, Belichick did nothing on Sunday to alter his negative rep.
To begin with, Belichick looked small and petty when he vacated the sideline before the game was officially over. Instead of seeing the contest through to its' conclusion and remaining on the field as his defense had to do for one final play, Belichick left early and took the coward's way out. He basically snuck off and hid. Not exactly heroic stuff.
Though some have tried to rationalize his actions, it just doesn't wash. As a coach, you're obligated to remain on the field until the battle is over and the clock reads 0:00. No matter what, you never go AWOL and hightail it off the field while there's still a down to be played. You stick it out with your team to the bitter end and not to do so amounts to an act of betrayal.
Belichick then compounded his quick exit gaffe by acting the frustrated little kid during the post-game interviews. Curt, short and basically unresponsive, the Pats' coach was the epitome of a poor loser. He was a grown-up brat who in the face of defeat, demonstrated how little grace, tact and maturity he actually possesses.
Look, I fully understand that Belichick is old school and a throwback. As such, all that really matters to him is coaching and nothing else. To him, all the ancillary stuff such as interacting with the media is nothing but a waste of time and a royal pain. I get that and can even relate to it on a certain level. But the reality of the modern day NFL is that if you're a coach, dealing with the press in a respectful and professional manner is a basic requirement. And if you don't like it or can't abide by it, then find something else to do. Belichick's continual condescension and haughty demeanor diminishes himself, his team and the league. The "Hoodie" makes it awfully easy to be a Patriot hater.
The Pats, growing ancient before our very eyes, are going to have to start making some wholesale changes on the defense in the very near future. The window of opportunity is closing fast on veteran stalwarts like Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Rodney Harrison and Richard Seymour. But at least they've got something left. The same can't be said for Junior Seau. Easy to block, often slow to react and repeatedly out of position, Seau is the poster boy for someone who's merely hanging on. He should do everyone a favor, himself included, and go quietly into the night.
But this I will say. The Pats are the most resourceful organization in the game and if any team can retool a defense without suffering severe slippage, it's New England. Patriot management is just too committed and sharp to permit a dramatic drop-off on either side of the football.
Finally, let's pay due respect to the Pats' 16 and 0 regular season run. That was a marvelous achievement and its' significance should never be lost. It was a feat that bucked all the odds and norms and spoke to the remarkable inner resolve of the team that spawned it.
Yet sadly, the regular season isn't where you find the payoff. It's only in the playoffs that lasting immortality can be won. And there the Patriots eventually faltered and failed. Put another way, the Pats may have won the battle but they lost the war. And with it, they lost any chance to be placed high in the pantheon of great NFL teams.