New Pats film does the job

Early on in the documentary “Do Your Job Part 2: Bill Belichick and the 2016 Patriots,” the Pats coach makes a statement about Super Bowl LI that appears ludicrous.

“I felt like we had control of the game,” Belichick said. “I didn’t feel like we had control of the score.”

Narrator Edward Norton then offers what everyone else would say to that statement: “Really?”

Then, over the course of the next 45 minutes, NFL Films producer Ken Rodgers and his team proceed to convince the viewer that, after a little digging behind the scenes, maybe Belichick believed every word of that.

The film, which premieres on NBC tomorrow at 7 p.m., drives home the point that staying in control, whether it be in the face of adversity or preparing to maintain it each week, is ultimately why the Patriots rallied from the 28-3 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons to win the franchise’s fifth Super Bowl.

The best moments come from the inner workings of the coaching staff, director of player personnel Nick Caserio, whom Belichick refers to as a general manager, and football research director Ernie Adams (aka the Man Behind the Curtain).

Part of that effect stems from how clandestine Belichick can be with the media. Here, it’s an open book, and the position coaches, whom Belichick only allows to speak to the media a handful of times a season, steal plenty of the scenes.

The ones that feature Adams only build his legend. In one, he takes a kick off the head in practice that knocks him out. To the shock of the rest of the team, he returns, stitched up, with a bandage around his head before the workout is even finished.

Among other things, the film points out how Adams is Belichick’s eyes when it comes to reviewing calls and whether to throw out the red flag.

It’s these bits and pieces that make the whole a compelling watch. The documentary chronicles the three playoff games for the Pats, and each has flavorful nuggets of strategy that you won’t see anywhere else.

You want to know why Dion Lewis shined so well against the Houston Texans in the AFC divisional round? You’ll see that, and within those scenes will come to understand why the Texans targeted better coverage linebackers in the draft, though, in the preseason game between the two teams that’s still a work in progress.

For those who believe part of why the Patriots always seem to have the Steelers’ number is because of Pittsburgh’s inability to evolve defensively, there is more ammunition here.

But the real meat comes from the Super Bowl, of course.

As the game developed, that element for the coaches and players to not lose hope or see the game as a fan would becomes clear. Still, everyone involved knew that after a certain point, perfection was necessary to complete the comeback.

Again, though, it’s the homework done before the test that sells everything, like watching a magician show how his trick is done after the act.

The three most interesting moments come in the form of how Belichick’s use of the two-point plays were drawn up, and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s calls to provide the pressure that led to Dont’a Hightower’s strip sack of Matt Ryan and Trey Flowers’ sack that helped push the Falcons out of field goal range late in the fourth quarter.

You know how it ends. But it’s not the what or the why, but the how that “Do Your Job 2” gets right, and makes the viewer believe that if the Patriots were put in that nearly impossible spot again, they’d still be in control.