National Post (National Edition)
Verbal sparring sets up Jags-pats rematch
News and views around the NFL, with Week 2 under way: Is Jalen Ramsey public enemy No. 1 for the Patriots?
NEWS: In his latest boasts-androasts magazine profile, the Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback, among other things, slammed New England tight end Rob Gronkowski.
“I don’t think Gronk’s good,” Ramsey told ESPN The Magazine in its 2018 NFL season preview issue. “Let me say, I don’t think Gronk is as great as people think he is. Any time Gronk has been matched up with a corner, he’s had a very bad game, and that corner has had a very good game.”
VIEW: The Patriots visit the Jaguars Sunday in a rematch of January’s AFC Championship Game that saw New England score two late TDS to squeeze past Jacksonville and into the Super Bowl.
Normally, you’d expect the Patriots to not even go there when asked about inflammatory comments by their latest opponent. But if you look at comments this week from Gronkowski and head coach Bill Belichick, you see Ramsey has inflamed Grumpnation. Gronkowski’s reaction?
“I mean, if that’s how he feels, that’s how he feels. It’s a big game this Sunday. I’m sure I’m going to have opportunities to go versus him. I’m sure he’s going to have opportunities to go versus me. I’ve got to just do my job out on the field. Just worry about that.”
Yeah, but do Ramsey’s shots motivate him?
“For sure. There’s always motivation you’re looking for,” Gronk said, before catching himself. “It does and it doesn’t. You were trying to get me to say something, right? But, it does and it doesn’t.
“Because it motivates you to hear that. If that’s how he feels, that’s how he feels.”
Most interesting was Belichick’s answer, when asked what he has seen from Ramsey since he entered the NFL two seasons ago. Often if Belichick likes a player, he’ ll go on and on. Not this time.
“Yeah, he’s done a good job. He’s on a good defence,” Belichick said. “They have a lot of good players, and he’s one of them. They’ve got a lot of them.”
Bam. As Belichick comments go, that was nuclear: fission by omission. Especially when, minutes later, he went on and on about how great Yannick Ngakoue and the Jaguars defensive front is.
Sunday’s game should be fun.
Will Mayfield surpass Brees?
NEWS: New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees says Cleveland’s No. 1 overall draft pick this year, Baker Mayfield, “can be a lot better than me. He’s got all the tools. He’s more athletic. He probably can run around better. He’s got a stronger arm.”
VIEW: What, do the Saints play the Browns this week or something? Ha. Turns out they do. Perhaps, then, those glowing accolades from the 39-year-old Brees can be chalked up to the usual, “Boy, aren’t our opponents GREAT?!” lathering. Or, the fact that the two native Texans grew up less than half an hour’s drive from one another. Brees has known of Mayfield’s ascension for years. Let’s briefly compare the two. Body size? Practically identical with both weighing 215 pounds, and a shade under 6-foot-1. In other words, both are typically too short to succeed in the NFL.
Brees has gloriously proved otherwise. In the next few weeks, he’s on pace to break NFL career records for completions and passing yards.
But if we’ve learned anything from Brees, it’s that superstar NFL quarterbacking is less about your arm and legs, and more about what’s between your ears.
Can Mayfield tame his wildstallion athleticism, tone down his outsized bravado and focus his overflowing energy into a Breeslike career? I’ll get back to ya in five or 10 years. First thing’s first: unseating the uninspiring Tyrod Taylor in Cleveland.
New coaches start out 0-7. NEWS: All seven newly hired NFL head coaches lost their Week 1 opener. Are they that bad?
VIEW: Quick answer: Of course not. Only one of the seven debuts ought to be particularly concerning, that being Matt Patricia’s in Detroit.
We all know Oakland’s Jon Gruden can coach. Probably it’ll take him deep into the season to catch himself up on late 2010s pro football advancements, or maybe not until he gets another off-season under his belt.
Pat Shurmur has a couple of head-coaching seasons under his belt in Cleveland (2011-12) to help him navigate the stormy Big Apple waters. His New York Giants team played pretty well Sunday against the defending AFC championshipgame finalist Jaguars.
Chicago’s Matt Nagy nearly pulled off a gigantic first-game upset in Green Bay, and would have if it weren’t for a guy named Aaron Rodgers.
Tennessee’s Mike Vrabel might have an upgraded defence corps to coach up, but the Titans offence could be in trouble if QB Marcus Mariota keeps getting injured, or if his O-line can’t get healthy.
Frank Reich in Indianapolis ought to keep wringing more from Andrew Luck than we’ve seen since early in his promising career. It’s just whether his defence can stop anyone in Year 1.
Similarly, defensive-minded Steve Wilks takes over a talentstarved club in Arizona that lost soundly to a Washington team no one still thinks too much about.
Then there’s Patricia. How could his first game have gone worse? Or been more embarrassing? A 4817 loss in practically every phase Monday to a New York Jets team that won five games last year?
Patricia apparently is instituting a drastic locker-room change, more like Capt. Bligh than the previous two Captain Nice Guys (Jim Caldwell and Jim Schwartz).
Patricia better get it figured out fast if he hopes to avoid a mutiny. MILO, Betty 10:00 Chapel. WEINSTEIN, Owen 12:00 Beth Tzedec Congregation. NISKER, Bernie 1:00 Chapel. CAMPBELL, David 1:00 Beth Sholom Synagogue. AVERBUKH, Nina 2:30 Pardes Chaim.
COSMAN (GRISOR), Marian 38 Wildrose Crescent, Richmond Hill, Ontario. GROSFIELD, Myra
55 Delisle Avenue, Common Room. ROSENBLAT, Mirla
121 Dell Park Avenue. STARKMAN, Stan (Sharky) 34 Abilene Court, Richmond Hill, Ontario.