Pats are NFL’s best avengers
For the Patriots, the occasions when one loss turns into two, or even goes beyond that have been rare. The term “losing streak” is not in Bill Belichick’s football manual. It’s not part of the vocabulary in Foxboro.
That’s because Tom Brady hasn’t allowed it to exist. He refuses to let losses multiply, much less happen.
The GOAT has always hated to lose. That’s no secret. One might assume the older he gets, he might soften a bit. He might lose some of the fire and competitiveness that’s been his hallmark. Unfortunately for the opposition, that hasn’t been the case. He’s always been the great avenger, going 18-4 the last 22 times the Patriots have suffered a loss. Overall, he’s 44-12, throwing 103 touchdown passes with 13 picks in those games.
“He’s one of the most competitive people I’ve ever been around,” special teams captain Matthew Slater said of Brady. “He’s never happy with losing, no matter the circumstances.”
To hear Phillip Dorsett tell it, Brady has a “hate to lose” gene, and that rubs off on everyone else.
“He’s not a sore loser, he just doesn’t like to lose. That’s in his DNA,” said Dorsett. “You can see it in his eyes, how much he hates it. I mean, no one likes losing in this locker room, but he’s our leader, and we feed off of him.”
Coming off the team’s Week 9 loss to the Ravens, the lone setback of the season, Brady will be focused on getting the Patriots back in the win column against the 5-4 Eagles in their matchup today at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Patriots had a bye week to enjoy some time away, but they’ve returned and had several good practice days according to several players. Their ability to turn the page starts with Belichick, filters through the coaching staff, and is augmented by Brady.
“I think it speaks to the leadership we have here. Coach Belichick does a great job of refocusing our football team. But when you think about this team, the heartbeat is Tom,” said Slater. “He brings a refreshed focus and energy when we come in after a loss. Sometimes it almost feels like he’s willing us to come out and compete at a higher level the next week. So I really think it starts with him.”
It starts with Brady’s demeanor, and how he goes about practice. The sense of urgency about correcting mistakes and attacking the next opponent. Obviously, there’s a history with the Eagles. The Patriots and Eagles last met in Super Bowl LII, where Brady shredded Philly’s defense for a Super Bowl-record 505 yards and three touchdowns. It wasn’t good enough to win the Lombardi Trophy, however, as the Eagles prevailed with a 41-33 victory for their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history.
So there’s that score to settle, but that just adds more fuel to his tank. Then when you combine Brady’s usual success against Jim Schwartz defenses with his typical great game-after loss numbers, the Eagles defense could be in for a long afternoon. Patriot players say they take their cues from No. 12.
“It could be something he says, something he does. The way he goes about his preparation. You know he’s not happy when we lose. It’s not a mystery,” said Slater. “I think you feel a sense of accountability to him, as his teammate. You want to compete at a high level. As I said, he’s the heartbeat of this team. As he goes, we go.”
Added Dorsett: “The team really wants to play for him.”
While the 42-year-old Brady isn’t putting up MVPtype stats (2,536 yards with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions through nine games), he’s made the necessary plays to win games.
Last season was a bit of an aberration when it came to bouncing back after a loss. On two occasions, the Pats didn’t immediately stop the bleeding losing back-to-back games early (Jacksonville, Detroit) and late (Miami, Pittsburgh).
“We put in a lot of work here,” said tight end Benjamin Watson. “I haven’t played everywhere. But we work as hard, or harder, than anybody in the league, just the preparation that goes on here. Losing is going to happen . . . but it’s disappointing. Tom’s just so intense (after a loss). And internally, we all have a different sense of urgency.”
Beyond the Brady factor, Watson pointed to the mentality that’s expected in Foxboro. Instead of a 16-game schedule, the Patriots play 16 “one-game seasons” and attack it that way. This will be the first test of 2019, trying to flip the script.
“We really don’t put a lot of stock in momentum, or in coming back after a loss. We put stock in, this is another week,” said Watson. “Whether you won, or you lose, this is the next game, let’s try to win it. I think that’s how you’re successful, and how you’re able to sustain success, whether it’s a win or a loss, being able to turn the page.”
Few have moved on better than Brady and the Patriots.
Ballot omission
Pro Bowl voting began on Tuesday. A notable absentee on the fan ballot?
Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones.
He’s only been the highest-graded cornerback in the league by Pro Football Focus week after week during the season. And yet, somehow, he didn’t make the cut. Only Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty are on the ballot, representing the Patriots at cornerback.
Why? Apparently, he’s not considered a starter, which is ridiculous considering he’s started seven of nine games this season.
So if fans want Jones to be a Pro Bowl player, they’ll have to have him as a writein on the ballot.
Jones’ teammates were stunned at the omission.
“Really?” Patriots safety Terrence Brooks said, raising his voice in disbelief. “I mean, a lot of guys should be on the Pro Bowl ballot. As for J. Jones, he just does his job. He doesn’t look for the attention in that sense. He just lines up every play, and goes out and gets it done. He’d be on my Pro Bowl (team) if I had one. The guy, he’s a dynamic player. We love having him. Hopefully he does get that recognition. Voting is still open for quite awhile.”
Voting is free and fans are encouraged to vote as often as they would like to support their favorite players. The voting window runs four weeks, and concludes on Thursday, December 12. Voting is available online and on web-enabled mobile phones by going to NFL.com/ ProBowlVote.
Sticking with Vinatieri
The beat goes on with Adam Vinatieri, as the Colts are sticking with the 47year-old placekicker, despite his missing a league-leading 11 kicks this season. Vinatieri missed an extra point last week against the Dolphins that was pivotal in a 16-12 loss.
Included in Vinatieri’s 11 missed kicks have been six extra-point attempts and five field goal tries. His misses on six extra points are the most he’s had in his 24-year career. The Colts had informal auditions this week, working out four kickers including former Patriot Mike Nugent, before they made their decision to stick with Vinatieri for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“Obviously we’ve all our own biggest critics,” Vinatieri told the media this past week. “Any time that it’s not perfect, you want to make it perfect. I don’t worry about the decisions that are being made that I can’t control one way or the other.”