Best Team in the NFL

Not many people could have envisioned the Patriots sitting 6-1 atop the NFL at the conclusion of week 8. Not even with my optimistic 12-4 preseason forecast did I see the Patriots defeating Miami, Baltimore, San Diego and Minnesota all in a row. Looking at the schedule heading in to week 1 against the Bengals I thought the toughest part of the schedule was the Ravens, Chargers, Vikings three game stretch. Not only a stretch against three postseason teams from last season, but a stretch of games prefaced by the Dolphins and leading into Browns, Steelers, Colts. Maybe the Patriots will still end up 12-4, but  at 6-1 traveling to Cleveland the sky is the limit.

At mid season the Patriots look like the best team in the NFL and are winning with their old ways. A team of (mostly) lesser known players working together. A team that runs the ball, plays situational football, and a team that morphs their play on the field to adapt to their competition. The reason Bill Belichick led Patriot teams have won so many games is that they adapt like no other team. With so many versatilie players the Patriots have been near impossible to game plan for because there is no one player you can take away. Outside of Tom Brady and Vince Wilfork there is no one player that other teams can eliminate from the game to win. How can you game plan when the opponent has a hall of fame quarterback in Tom Brady that favors throwing to the open receiver? How can you game plan When your opponent has enough team depth to adapt to whichever style of play you are implementing?

Another reason why Randy Moss was let go was due to this very concept, Belichick likes players who can do alot of different things. Moss was so amazing at one  task, running streak patterns deep down field catching touchdowns, that Belichick made an exception for a few years. However, Bill Belichick's has returned to his core philosphy of a team that plays as a team. A roster that is chalk full of versatile players, who can adapt and play situational football. Situational football is a term that Belichick has always used with his Patriots, and refers to moments in a game that are unforseen (in pre-game preparations). A situation in a game that is an important one and in which players must base their actions solely upon defusing the situation. Just like in yesterday's game when the Patriots stopped the Vikings on 4th & Goal at the New England one yard line. The players knew the Vikings were going to run the ball and they knew the importance of the situation.

The Patriots are the best team in the NFL right now because they are playing as a true team and are implemeneting Bellichick's situational football. Brady is again targeting the open reciever on offense and Belichick has the defense playing bend don't break, and adapt as you go football. These are the old Patriot ways that won them three Super Bowls. Dale Arnold said it best today on WEEI 850 AM in reference to the how the Patriots have been playing; "they kill you with 1,000 paper cuts". Arnold was referring to the fact that you cannot game plan for the Patriots because they have no player that overwhelms you on his own. All you can really do is try and apply as much pressure on Tom Brady as possible, because outside of the quarterback position its nearly impossible to know who to hone in on.  They are  running the ball with virtually unknown BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead, passing to Brandon Tate, Aaron Hernandez, Wes Welker, Deion Branch, Rob Gronkowski, and the running backs. 

You cannot game plan for the Patriots and they are no different than the "leaky wall" that the Celtics are this year. You can plug up one hole in a leaking wall, but when you do that water pours out of another area. The Patriots are playing as a true team once again and it has led them to first place in the NFL. Look for them to sharpen their skills in a convincing win over the Browns as they prepare for the AFC's elite, the Steelers and Colts.

Sources Used

www.espn.com
www.si.com
www.weei.com

Photos taken by: Michael Gens

bottom photo taken by: Mary Gens