If I was a female, I would marry Bill Belichick. Yep, I said it. And if you know anything about the New England Patriots’ coach, you would know it’s not because of his stunning looks or boyish charm. It’s because the man is the best football coach I have ever seen. He’s better than former Chicago Bears’ coach George Halas, better than former Green Bay Packers’ coach Vince Lombardi and even better than former Miami Dolphins’ coach Don Shula. He signifies what many in the past and many in the future strive for in the NFL – perfection. And because of this pursuit of perfection, he’s set to win his fourth Super Bowl in seven seasons. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all about the man in the hooded sweatshirt. The Patriots have more than just a future Hall of Fame coach on their side as they get ready to clash with the New York Giants on Sunday in Glendale, Ariz. They have talent, intelligence and – most of all – destiny on the payroll this weekend. Sports fans around the country knew at the beginning of the season the Patriots were going to be good. How good was still unknown, but after snagging wide receiver Randy Moss, linebacker Adalius Thomas, wide receiver Donté Stallworth and tight end Kyle Brady, individuals had reason to believe this was going to be a great year to be a Boston fan. Moss was probably the steal of the offseason, and Thomas is an unbelievable force on defense. Stallworth gave the Patriots a go-to No. 3 receiver and Brady, although relatively ineffective as a receiving tight end, has been one of the many keys for opening up down-field holes for the running backs. But enough about individual players on the team. After all, New England has always wanted to be referred to as an entire team and not just a group of players. The Patriots are destined to win the Super Bowl. Sorry, G-Men, destiny can’t be altered. Just take a look at some of the incredibly insane statistics that have popped up this season and tell me a certain someone isn’t on the Patriots’ side.
GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Most sports fans know former LSU and Patriots defensive lineman Marques Hill died May 28 after drowning in Lake Pontchitrain. But what few know about the situation is Randall Gay, former LSU and current Patriots cornerback, decided to wear Hill’s shoulder pads this season to honor his fallen teammate. Although his numbers are not Pro Bowl worthy, since putting on Hill’s shoulder pads, Gay has had a career year and has set single-season career highs with three interceptions and seven passes defended.
THE DRIVE
Hill’s presence was felt again at the beginning of the season. The Patriots decided to dedicate this season to him and collectively agreed to wear No. 91 on their helmets. Although this may be nothing astonishing or new in the NFL, the fact that New England drove down the field 91 yards – Hill’s former number – for a score against the New York Jets on their first possession of the season is noteworthy. The Patriots have not stopped scoring since, averaging 36.8 points per game and breaking the single-season scoring record after running up 582 points during the regular season.
PICTURE PERFECT The sight of Super Bowl XLII could not be better for New England. Yes, the Patriots are currently 18-0, but what may also be impressive is the fact that they are 4-0 in Arizona since the team’s Super Bowl appearance in 1997. Add in a 21-6 record away from Gillette Stadium since the team’s 24-21 Super Bowl XXXIX win Feb. 6, 2005 against the Eagles, and it doesn’t look good for Michael Strahan, Eli Manning and the rest of the Giants.
BRADY BUNCH Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is about as clutch in big games as former NBA star Michael Jordan. He knows how to win the big ones and never seems to be phased before an important game. But don’t take my word for it. Brady is undefeated in his three Super Bowl appearances. He has averaged 245 passing yards per game, a 65.7 percent completion percentage and has thrown six touchdowns and one interception in those three games. That makes for an astonishing 99.9 passer rating. I rest my case.
SPELLING BEE United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” That’s exactly what the Patriots have done during recent years – change. Letting go of players such as wide receiver Deion Branch and running back Corey Dillon after both showed their displeasure in the franchise has been a trademark of the franchise. I wonder what Dillon and Branch are thinking now as they get ready to snuggle into their lounge chairs and flip on their big screen LCD televisions to watch – instead of play in – Sunday’s game. With all the changes in the organization, one thing has remained since the Patriots have started winning – something Churchill could have never predicted. You still can’t spell “perfect season” without “P-A-T-S.”
—-Contact Jay St. Pierre at [email protected]