Tag Archives: Drew Bledsoe

SUPER BOWL XXXVI CHAMPION 2001 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

by

0

One of the NFL’s greatest dynasties was stolen from a team set to become one in the St Louis Rams. New England’s 20-17 upset win was a carbon copy of Bill Belichick’s Super Bowl XXV gameplan when the NY Giants beat the Buffalo Bills.

Stolen? Well there had been claims the Patriots recorded the Rams walk through giving them an illegal and unfair advantage. In a game of simulated war you’d have to suspect there would be espionage at play. The Patriots were fined for this practice in 2007 and the taped evidence from the Super Bowl XXXVI incident were inadvertently destroyed. Which raised suspicion…

Super Bowl XXXVI Logo prior to 9/11

Espionage in the game of football?? Everyone is worried about it. Why do you think there are closed practices? Teams practicing wearing numbers different than what they play with on game day. Lombardi’s Packers did this in case they were spied on. In fact before the 1958 NFL Championship Carroll Rosenbloom had a Colts staffer spy on the New York Giants practice, promising him a job for life if caught.

This overshdowed the defensive brilliance of Bill Belichick’s carbon copy of his old Giants defenses. His secondary was physical with all his defensive backs 200 lbs or heavier. SS Lawyer Milloy (6’0 200 lbs) was the new Myron Guyton (6’1 205 lbs) & Tebucky Jones (6-2 218 lbs) were where the Rams receivers were funnelled to and were punished if they survived Patriots Linebackers clogging those lanes.

Super Bowl XXXVI Logo after 9/11 with the date pushed into February.

One of the most telling plays of the game was when NFL MVP Kurt Warner had Torry Holt open up the left sideline. The Rams were desperate to get their offense going and knowing Tebucky Jones was coming from a Cover 2 Safety alignment, came up alligator armed and dropped the pass. Jones hit him full force anyway and the camera NFL Films had on Holt, you saw him take his eye off the ball and look at Jones coming instead of securing the catch.

That drop where he didnt want the smoke is the reason Holt hasn’t made the Pro Football Hall of Fame in The Chancellor’s estimation. It was a lasting image on a huge stage.

Yet the 1st Super Bowl TD of the Patriots dynasty catapulted CB Ty Law on his way to Canton. Midway through the 2nd quarter a hurried Warner threw an out Law jumped and took to the house. Now down 7-3 The Greatest Show on Turf was completely in scramble mode.

Belichick’s bunch had Mike Martz right where they wanted him. An Offensive genius falls in to the trap believing his finesse x’s & o’s will trump fundamental football and arrogantly pass, pass, pass. Leaving NFL Offensive Player of the Year Marshall Faulk on the tarmac having abandoned the run.

This team had been constructed to be a newer version of Bill Parcells & Bill Belichick’s Giants and came to full fruition in February 2002. They were a surprise champion with a Cinderella season where Tom Brady won “The Tuck Rule” game against the Raiders in 1 playoff game. To original starter Drew Bledsoe replacing an injured Brady to lead the Patriots to  a win in the AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh.

For all the world this seemed like a one time champion as they fielded 7 defenders 30 years of age or older. CB Otis Smith (36), DE Willie McGinest (30), ILB Roman Phifer (33), LB Bryan Cox (33), DE Bobby Hamilton (30), DE Anthony Pleasant (33) and Nickle Corner Terrell Buckley (30). They would have to retool but this 1st championship Patriot team was built on defensive might.

Thanks for reading and please share the article.

Ryan Tannehill Not Wanting to Mentor Malik Willis Is The Height of Arrogance: Final Revision

by

2

“With the 86th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Tennesee Titans select Malik Willis! Quarterback form Liberty” Along with the trade of wideout A.J. Brown to the Eagles the team subtly announced they were moving on from Ryan Tannehill.

It seems like everyone realizes this except the incumbent starter who scoffed “Its not my job to mentor Malik Willis” Really?

The old NFL logo

Hold on a second… I keep seeing people backing Ryan McInterception on “its not his job to mentor Malik Willis.”

Lets take playing football out of the equation… Are you telling me no one in your position pulled you aside and took you to lunch? Talked shop about how to work with clients or internal / shipping issues at work? Really? You did everything by yourself? The height of arrogance.
Don’t mouth this nonsense and then share/ profess the Christian values later talking about “pay it forward”… This is literally the definition of paying it forward.
God works in mysterious ways… what happens if Willis beats Tannehill out?? Anyone can handoff to Derrick Henry 30 times a game. Isnt’ this what happened in 2012 when a rookie Russell Wilson beat out Matt Flynn who had just signed a $20 million free agent deal??
Tannehill’s horrendous 3 interception performance at home in the AFC Divisional Playoff loss to Cincinnati is why they drafted a QB in the first place. The Titans don’t expect to be explosive on offense. Why do you think they traded WR AJ Brown to the Eagles?
Keep in mind how insturmental Steve Deberg was to mentoring both Joe Montana and John Elway when they were drafted. Drew Bledsoe explained how his relationship was and they showed how he mentored Tom Brady in the first episode of “Man In the Arena.” Check that out on ESPN +.
Even to conclude the sideline meeting before Brady took the field for the game winning drive in Super Bowl XXXVI what does history have gunned down in videos and books?? Drew Bledsoe emphatically showing support “Fuck that go out and sling it!” Mentoring him to seize the moment feeling that Charlie Weis was being too cautious in his instruction before taking the field.
The starting quarterback is supposed to be the face of the franchise and a leader of men. How can you be a leader in the quarterback room without being a mentor?? No one said to give away all the trade secrets but you counsel your understudy on things he should know.
At some point its about giving back and no one told Tannehill to coach Willis but to point a few things out and help show how to be a pro. Its what football players have done since the game began.
Malik Willis go and be a sponge and learn how to be a pro and go out and sling it with confidence!
Thanks for reading and please share the article.

Ryan Tannehill’s Not Wanting to Mentor Malik Willis Is The Height of Arrogance

by

0

“With the 86th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Tennesee Titans select Malik Willis! Quarterback form Liberty” Along with the trade of wideout A.J. Brown to the Eagles the team subtly announced they were moving on from Ryan Tannehill.

It seems like everyone realizes this except the incumbent starter who scoffed “Its not my job to mentor Malik Willis” Really?

The old NFL logo

Hold on a second… I keep seeing people backing Ryan McInterception on “its not his job to mentor Malik Willis.”

Lets take playing football out of the equation… Are you telling me no one in your position pulled you aside and took you to lunch? Talked shop about how to work with clients or internal / shipping issues at work? Really? You did everything by yourself? The height of arrogance.
Don’t mouth this nonsense and then share/ profess the Christian values later talking about “pay it forward”… This is literally the definition of paying it forward.
God works in mysterious ways… what happens if Willis beats Tannehill out?? Anyone can handoff to Derrick Henry 30 times a game. Isnt’ this what happened in 2012 when a rookie Russell Wilson beat out Matt Flynn who had just signed a $20 million free agent deal??
Tannehill’s horrendous 3 interception performance at home in the AFC Divisional Playoff loss to Cincinnati is why they drafted a QB in the first place. The Titans don’t expect to be explosive on offense. Why do you think they traded WR AJ Brown to the Eagles?
Keep in mind how insturmental Steve Deberg was to mentoring both Joe Montana and John Elway when they were drafted. Drew Bledsoe explained how his relationship was and they showed how he mentored Tom Brady in the first episode of “Man In the Arena.” Check that out on ESPN +.
Even to conclude the sideline meeting before Brady took the field for the game winning drive in Super Bowl XXXVI what does history have gunned down in videos and books?? Drew Bledsoe emphatically showing support “Fuck that go out and sling it!” Mentoring him to seize the moment feeling that Charlie Weis was being too cautious in his instruction before taking the field.
The starting quarterback is supposed to be the face of the franchise and a leader of men. How can you be a leader in the quarterback room without being a mentor?? No one said to give away all the trade secrets but you counsel your understudy on things he should know.
At some point its about giving back and no one told Tannehill to coach Willis but to point a few things out and help show how to be a pro. Its what football players have done since the game began.
Malik Willis go and be a sponge and learn howw to be a pro and go out and sling it with confidence!
Thanks for reading and please share the article.

SUPER BOWL XXXI RUNNER UP 1996 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

by

0

The casual football fan may or may not remember when the NFL had a period where the NFC won 13 Super Bowls in a row. True free agency didn’t come to the NFL until the 1993 season yet the disparity between the two conferences in terms of physicality was pronounced.

Or at least it had been leading up to the mid 1990s. However a series of long time NFC Head Coaches started to switch conferences beginning with Bill Parcells. Coaches look to sign players they are most familiar with.

The ’96 Patriots roster was populated by players from the NFC. Keith Byars (Eagles), S Willie Clay (Lions), CB Ricky Reynolds (Bucs), DE Mike Jones (Cardinals), DT Mark Wheeler (Bucs), and starting G William Roberts with reserve G Bob Kratch from the New York Giants respectively.

Then you had  third down back / kick returner Dave Meggett (Giants) who made the Pro Bowl, CB Otis Smith (Eagles) and reserve CB Michael McGruder (49ers).  They drafted NFC style players in LB Chris Slade and DE / LB Willie McGinest. Defensive Coordinator Bill Belichick platooned his personnel based on individual strengths from week to week. McGinest was their only defensive Pro Bowl performer. Their stats didn’t wow you, finishing 19th overall, they seemed to always come up with key stops.

Before there was the draft question of Ryan Leaf or Peyton Manning in ’98, the first was Drew Bledsoe or Rick Mirer in 1993. Bledsoe, the #1 overall selection, had come into his own leading the Patriots to the playoffs in just his 2nd season in 1994. Now in his 4th season he threw for 4,086 yards and 27 touchdowns leading New England to the Super Bowl.

However the Patriots in ’96 had 2nd year runner Curtis Martin. During the season they forgot to give him the football as his stats fell from 368 carries for 1,487 yards to 314 attempts gaining 1,152. This trend continued in the Super Bowl as Martin had just 11 rushes for 42 yards in the game. One of which was the 18 yard touchdown in the 3rd quarter where he broke 4 tackles.

super-bowl-logo-1996This touchdown set up Desmond Howard’s 99 yard kick return to ice the game for the Packers. New England could have won had they fed Martin the ball. This would have kept Bledsoe’s passing lanes open. Instead Bledsoe’s 4 interceptions, 3 in the 2nd half sealed New England’s fate.

How different would Bledsoe’s career and legacy been had New England won Super Bowl XXXI?