Can the New England Patriots win the upcoming Super Bowl? For once they may not be one of the favourites. But they do hold certain advantages. Not least in the presence of future Hall of Fame Head Coach and defensive mastermind Bill Belichick on their sidelines.
Bill Belichick
Let’s not beat about the bush here. Belichick is one of the premiere defensive minds in NFL history. From his famous Super Bowl XXV gameplan for slowing the Bills to his stopping the Greatest show on turf in Super Bowl XXXVI and beyond the last few decades are littered with gameplans that have stopped supposed juggernauts in their tracks. Do you really think there is a team he can’t scheme for in the playoffs?
Motivation
The Patriots failed to make the playoffs and be a Super Bowl contender for the first time since 2008 last season. Not to mention having their first losing season since 2000. They didn’t need any extra motivation to prove themselves. Then Tom Brady went and provided it anyway. Brady won his seventh Super Bowl ring as the Pats sat at home. You know the whole organization wants to prove their success was more that about TB12.
Defence
“Defence wins championships” is an adage that has seemingly been around as long as the game has been played. Well the Patriots Super Bowl run could have some fuel here. They rank 4th in yards per game allowed, and second in points per game. Overall this is a top 5 D ready to carry the team in the playoffs.
Have you been paying attention? This sounds eerily familiar. Remember the Patriots early Super Bowl wins? They were built around a young QB making the plays when needed and a D picking up the slack against some high-powered attacks.
The Patriots Super Bowl experience
Belichick and the Patriots have seen and done it all before. Sure they didn’t make the playoffs last year. But before that they had made the playoffs 17 times in 19 seasons. Not to mention appearing in nine Super Bowls and winning six of them! This is a team that knows what it takes to get to a Super Bowl and to win it.
People were talking at the end of last year like the Patriots were dead and buried. They are only three years removed from their last Super Bowl win.
Which brings us to QB Mac Jones. No rookie passer has won a Super Bowl, and Jones isn’t in the form he was earlier in the year. But then you can forget the past now. This is the playoffs, a new mini season of its’ own. And The Patriots have a solid O line. Get the protection, minimise mistakes, let Belichick work his magic. The possibilities for a Patriots Super Bowl run are right there.
This is part of the Ninety-Nine Yards “Why X will win the Super Bowl series”. You can find earlier articles on the Bengals, Rams, Eagles, Raiders and Cowboys too.
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