The Debate: Who Will Win the AFC?
Thursday, July 2, 2009Posted by Jacob Peklo
Who Will Win the AFC?
By Jacob Peklo, Ryan Reid, and Seth Becker
Sure, it’s only July, but training camp is approaching fast and we have been hearing about the NFL all year. First, it was the draft. Then it was OTAs and mini-camp. The question since the Steelers hoisted their second Lombardi trophy in four years and Tom Brady announced that he was fit to play again, has been whether the Patriots would regain their 2007 form. Was 2008 an indicator that New England, minus their video cameras, is no longer the toast of the conference?
With that in mind, we ask the question: Will the Patriots win the American Football Conference in 2009?
For the Pats
By Seth Becker
And the New England Patriots are going back to the Super Bowl. Try that on. Let it swirl around the brain for a minute. I’ll wait. All done? We might as well get used to the idea, because it’s going to happen again.
The Patriots have been in four Super Bowls this decade. It all comes down to two people, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. In the 8 seasons Tom Brady has been starting quarterback, the Patriots are an astounding 96-31 in games that he starts. To help put that in perspective, that’s more wins in 8 seasons than 30 of the other 31 teams have for the entire decade of the 2000s. The Lions and Texans have 80 wins combined! And now he’s back, and that spells doom for the rest of the AFC.
Now combine that with the evil genius that is Bill Belichick. There is no other way to explain it; the guy is a great coach. It’s why people go to New England. You think they are going there for the New England winters? The trendy night life perhaps? No. It’s not like in baseball where the Evil Empire that is the New York Yankees could just buy up all the talent. There’s a salary cap in the NFL, to keep that from happening. New England gets talent and creates talent because Belichick is a great coach. Probably not the best boss in the world, and certainly not someone that is going to win Sportsmen of the Year, but at the end of the day, he produces results.
So everyone else in the AFC, take your hopes and dreams and guard them closely, cause they are gonna get crushed. Dolphins, sorry, that AFC East title was on loan. Steelers, yeah hope you enjoyed the limelight, but as long as there is still a discussion about team of the decade, the Patriots are going to be stepping on some necks. Even my beloved Chiefs, yeah we have the Patriots former GM and quarterback, but we don’t have THE quarterback, and we’re still a ways away.
Saying No to New England
By Ryan Reid
To all the Patriots fans, I get it.
Now that Tom Brady is back, you feel as if he will automatically return to his 2007 form and carry the team back to the Super Bowl. I don’t see it that way.
It’s a nice thought, but the reality is that it really isn’t that easy.
Brady suffered a torn ACL, an injury that easily takes 2 full years to fully recover from. There are many things to consider. Yes, Brady is back on the practice field, but it is clear that he is not 100 percent. Looking at the prior ACL patients, it is clear that time is needed.
Donovan McNabb tore his ACL in 2006. Though he returned in the 2007 season he clearly was not fully recovered, through he had an okay season, it wasn’t a great one. Then there was Carson Palmer who was also injured in the 2006 Wild Card playoff game versus the Steelers and it took some time for him to return to form.
All I am saying that before we crown the Patriots, let’s just see how Brady’s knee holds up when he has Joey Porter or Dwight Freeney coming at it. I look for the team to have a good season but not a great one. I just believe that Brady’s knee will not allow him to be mobile enough to be effective in the pocket.
Not to mention, the first couple of weeks, every time he drops back, he will have flashes of Bernard Pollard. Get ready Kevin O’Connell. Your number may be called this season.
What This All Means
By Jacob Peklo
As hard as it is to believe, Tom Brady is going to need some time to recover from his knee injury, just like every other NFL superstar. The AFC East has certainly shown signs of improvement over the past two seasons. It is no longer simply the Patriots and everybody else. While most people would argue that it is the Patriots’ conference to lose, I wonder whether the Patriots can even get out of their division.
The Dolphins are the defending division champions. The Bills have a nice pair of wide receivers, with Terrell Owens entering the fold. The Jets seem to have gained a swagger under new head coach Rex Ryan. So, the division is clearly very equal from the top to the bottom.
We also know that the Patriots were able to win a lot last year without their hero, Tom Brady. Maybe the Patriots’ quarterback position is becoming comparable to what the Denver Broncos used to have at running back. I’m not here to take away from Brady’s accomplishments. The fact of the matter is that the team has not won a title without him. Even with all of the great fantasy numbers that previously unknown Matt Cassel put up last season, reality was much harsher for New England. Elite defenses like the Pittsburgh Steelers and, to a lesser extent, the Colts, have found innovative ways to rattle the Patriots. How long until the rest of the league follows?
Bill Belichick is a great head coach, but he no longer is way above the rest of the conference. Mike Tomlin is one of the brightest minds in all of football. He took on the unenviable task of following Bill Cowher at one of the most celebrated positions in all of sports. John Harbaugh found instant success in Baltimore. Jeff Fisher has lasted indefinitely in Tennessee for many reasons.
Belichick has become the Phil Jackson of the NFL. He always gets the best players on his team, including this offseason. Salary cap is one thing, but players want to go there and get a ring, a la Gary Payton and Karl Malone in 2003-04. It doesn’t guarantee success, but it’s a cheap (read: pathetic) way to earn a ring for some players. Brady now has Fred Taylor and Joey Galloway to play with, which could be a good thing. Both veterans are on the wrong side of 30, but, of course, they have something to prove to the other teams that passed on them. Another good season is not out of the question.
You cannot argue with facts. Tom Brady is one of the greatest winners the league has ever had. The Patriots set several offensive records only two years ago. An ACL injury is serious. The Steelers have won two of the last four Super Bowl titles. These are all self-evident truths.
New England will be in the midst of a tight AFC East race this season, but their schedule will wear them down. In one vital moment in league history last September, when the Patriots looked to be head and shoulders above the league, the dynasty may have come tumbling down. Finally, the field may have caught up to Brady as he lay on the Gillette Stadium turf, looking up at Bernard Pollard. Such is life in the NFL.
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