BRENNAN In Bradys homecoming Jones was the better QB and Belichick was the best of the GOATS
Author of the article:
Don BrennanPublishing date:
Oct 04, 2021 • 0 minutes ago • 12 minute read • Join the conversation
Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots throws a pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter in the game at Gillette Stadium on October 3, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Photo by Adam Glanzman /Getty Images Article content Wasn’t it the best bet of the entire NFL season?
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article contentIf you had a million bucks to put on one of the 272 regular season games in 2021 back on Sept. 1, wouldn’t you have gone with Tom Brady in his return to New England?
His chance to show the Patriots were wrong for not doing everything they could to keep him?
His opportunity to beat Bill Belichick the first time the two greats went to battle against each other?
With the Bucs coming off a rare loss in Week 3 to the Rams, while the now 1-3 Patriots continued to look less than ordinary in a 28-13 setback at the hands of the Saints?
It was a six-inch gimme.
Not just for a Brady win but to cover whatever number you found from bookmakers throughout the week, whether it was 7 1/2, 7, 6 1/2 or the mouth-watering 4 1/2 presentedby our friends at PROLINE+.
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article contentSo inviting was the latter that even I had to put $20 down (to make $15.20) and I rarely go that crazy on any single-event wager.
But Brady making his first trip back to New England, as sharp as ever and leading the defending Super Bowl champions, well, that was easy money.
Until it grew wings and flew out the window.
Oh Brady’s Bucs won alright.
It was a 19-17 final.
But the GOAT was lucky.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
He was very nearly beaten by Richie Cunningham. (C’mon, like I’m the only one who thinks Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones looks like Ron Howard’s character on Happy Days.)
Who would have predicted what happened?
In the fourth game of his NFL career, Jones actually outplayed Brady, who was making his 303rd start.
Brady did move ahead of Drew Brees to become the all-time passing yards leader, and he’s now at an 80,560, or about 75 kilometres, which doesn’t seem like much when you’re in a car but is phenomenal if you’re driving an offence against some of the greatest defences and coordinators in NFL history.
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article contentBut the scorecard tracking the numbers of Brady and Jones read as follows:
Touchdown passes: Jones 2, Brady 0.
Passing yards: Jones 275 (31 of 40), Brady 269 (22 of 43).
Passer rating: Jones 101.6, Brady 70.8.
Jones even tied a Patriots record set by Brady six years ago when he completed 19 consecutive passes.
Heck, he also more than doubled Brady (21-10) in fantasy points.
Brady and the Bucs won the game because Patriots kicker Nick Folk, attempting to his extend his franchise record of 36 consecutive field goals, doinked a 56-yard attempt off the left upright with 58 seconds left.
New England Patriots kicker Nick Folk (6) kicks a field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Gillette Stadium Oct. 3, 2021. Paul Rutherford/USA TODAY Sports Of course, that’s also a lot of time on the clock to leave Brady, so the end result probably would have been the same. But still ….
Interesting was all the attention given to the post-game handshakes. Prop bets were made throughout the week on whether Brady and Belichick would come together on the field that saw them combine for so many wins over the last 20 years.
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article contentSure enough, Belichick sought Brady out for a quick hug that probably did nothing to change the minds of those who believe the latter got out of Dodge (or Foxborough, as it were) because of the former.
An ESPN report says Belichick went to see Brady in the visitors locker room afterwards â€" a meeting he had apparently set up earlier in the week â€" and was there for 20 minutes before exiting.
“We’ve had a personal relationship for 20-plus years,†Brady said later at his media availability. “He drafted me here. We had a lot of personal conversations that should remain that way. They’re very private.
“I would say, so much is made of our relationship … nothing is really accurate that I’ve ever seen. It definitely doesn’t come from my personal feelings or beliefs.â€
That won’t stop the rumours, nor will all the nice things the two said about each other leading into the game.
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article contentIt’s easier to explain and understand Brady’s departure from the Patriots to believe he had enough of his grumpy coach.
Hate is a sexier story.
Of course, there are also the misguided who thought Sunday night’s game was more than just about Brady and Belichick.
“This is a team sport,†Bucs coach Bill Arians reminded everyone. “I don’t think Bill played a snap. He had 22 guys out there playing their ass off, and I knew they would. We had 22 guys out there playing their asses off. One of ‘em just happened to be named Brady.â€
How did he and his far more talented team not cover 7 points, or even the 4 1/2?
They should have won by 34, as someone predicted in the Sun newspapers on Friday.
But because they didn’t, because Folk missed a field goal by a couple of inches on a rainy night that could have given the Patriots the victory, we’re drawing a conclusion that might go against the grain.
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article contentIn the battle of the GOATS, Belichick, like his rookie quarterback, was better than Brady.
OH YEAH, ANOTHER THING …Among all the records and marks he continues to pile up, Brady improved to 28-18 (.609) in games when he didn’t throw a touchdown pass. That moved him past Cowboys legend Roger Staubach (.606) for the best record of any starting quarterback since 1950 … Brady still leads the NFL with 60 TD passes (regular season and playoffs) since arriving in Tampa to start last season. Heading into Sunday night the Patriots were tied for fewest touchdown passes during that span with 14, the same number Brady had thrown in fourth quarters alone … It was also Brady’s 41st win after trailing in the fourth quarter. Only Peyton Manning (43) has more … The Patriots are now 8-13 since Brady left. Brady is 14-6-0, as well as 4-0 in the post-season … Brady joined Manning, Brees and Brett Favre as the only starting QBs to defeat all 32 current franchises …
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.
DAMMIT NEW YORK …How many people were cursing both the Jets and the Giants after Sunday’s early games were done? In picking up their first wins of the season, the Big Apple-based teamsknocked from Survivor pools everyone who took Tennessee and New Orleans in Week 4. The Jets scored a 27-24 home field victory over the Titans, who weren’t a great pick when it was determined they’d be without their top two receivers, A.J. Brown and Julio Jones, because of hamstring injuries. Boy, were they ever missed. QB Ryan Tannehill wound up throwing to 10 receivers while completing 30-of-49 attempts for 298 yards, but only one touchdown. Even another big day from RB Derrick Henry (33 carries, 157 yards, one TD) couldn’t bury the Jets, who have themselves a much better defence than offence … (An aside: The Williams brothers, Quincy and Quinnen, were the first siblings to register sacks in the same game, for the same team, since 1982 â€" the year sacks became a thing in the NFL. Quinnen had two of the Jets seven sacks) … Also against the odds, Daniel Jones threw for a career high 402-yard as the Giants overcame an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to spoil the Saints first game of the season at a Superdome that, filled with 70,000 wild customers, was probably the league’s loudest stadium on Sunday. “I apologize to the fans,†New Orleans quarterback Jameis Winston said after completing 17-of-36 for a season high 236 yards. “I was so happy to be here and so blessed to have this opportunity to play in front of them … we don’t like to lose those types of games.†Tell it to all the people who counted on you with their Survivor life, Jameis.
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on October 3, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) ONE FOR THE GIPPER … As promised by his players, Andy Reid becamethe first coach in NFL history to win 100 games with two different teams when the Chiefs snapped a two-game losing streak by winning 42-30 in Philadelphia. Including playoffs, Reid was 140-102-10 as coach of the Eagles from 1999-2012. His record with the Chiefs is now 100-45-0 … All Patrick Mahomes did was throw five touchdown passes, including three to Tyreek Hill, who had a 44-yard score among his 186 receiving yards. Hill now has 28, 40-plus yard touchdowns in his career. Not only is it the most by any player since he entered the league in 2016, but it’s the most by the next two players combined on the list. Derrick Henry and Tyler Lockett each have 12 … Said Reid: “It was a good day for the punters.â€
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article contentIt certainly was. They were able to sit back and watch, without lifting a finger. For just the fifth time in NFL history, there was nary a punt in the whole game. The Chiefs were involved in another one of punt-less days, back in 2003 against the Colts. Remember? No eh? The first was Bills-Niners in 1992, while the others were in 2014: Bears-Packers, Saints-Packers) … The Chiefs-Eagles combined for 61 first downs, which is three short of the record set by the Chiefs (32) and the Seahawks (32) on Nov. 24, 2002 …
DOWN THE SIDELINES …For the record, I would have taken the Bills over the Texans if the spread was 39 1/2 … Maybe the Dolphins aren’t the AFC East contenders they were expected to be. Maybe they’re really no better than the Jets … Picking the Panthers to cover against the Cowboys was just a bad idea, even with Carolina undefeated and having the league’s top ranked defence. The Cowboys have the best offence in the NFL. Period … Only a couple of days ago I said Big Ben Roethlisberger will turn it around and lead the Steelers back into contention. After watching him complete 26-of-40 for 232 yards, while throwing one touchdown pass and a pick in what should have been a shootout with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, I am now having serious doubts … Niners No. 1 QB Jimmy Garoppolo left Sunday’s loss to Seattle with a calf injury. Afterwards he said he hopes to be back within a few weeks. There’s a good chance Jimmy G will not be the Niners No. 1 QB again, says a guy who is glad he grabbed Trey Lance in a fantasy league … If I was going to be out of the lineup with a calf injury, I’d ask the medical team if we could call it something else. A calf injury just sounds like something you can play through, no? … Washington came from behind to beat Atlanta and improve to 2-2, but the defence still gave up 30 and Chase Young is still looking for his first sack of the season … Don’t you love the Baker Mayfield commercial where he’s watering grass in front of the stadium while gossiping with wives? He’s better in that than he was the Browns victory over the Vikings …
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 28-21 at Levi’s Stadium on October 3, 2021 in Santa Clara, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) GOING DEEP … One record Brady doesn’t have belongs to Russell Wilson, who became the fastest quarterback to reach 100 wins when he did it Sunday, in the fourth game of his 10th season … Justified or not, my opinion of the Ravens is they’re a dirty team that gets away with a lot of crap. Oh look, Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater and former CFLer Diontae Spencer were knocked out of the loss loss to Baltimore by helmet-to-helmet hits on back-to-back plays. Neither was penalized … With Bridgewater out, we’re reminded why Denver didn’t stick with Drew Lock as its starter … Justin Tucker continued to build on his reputation as the greatest kicker of all-time by becoming the fastest ever to reach 300 field goals. He did it in his 148th game …Go figure â€" Jets discard Sam Darnold is the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for five touchdowns in his team’s first four games of the season. The Jets have scored five as a team … Two more interceptions for Trevon Diggs, who has five in the first four weeks of the season. It’s probably too early to point out the NFL record for most picks in a season is held by Night Train Lane, who had 14 in 1952, his rookie season with the Los Angeles Rams. At the same time, Diggs just might have a shot at the mark, as he does have 17 games to play with. Night Train and the fellas played a 12-game season back in ’52.
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content GRIN AND BEAR IT ….Should always know better than to take the Lions, on the road, against a division team that was embarrassed the previous week.
Actually, I could have also stopped that last sentence after the word Lions.
Quarterback Justin Fields #1 of the Chicago Bears passes the ball against the Detroit Lions in the second half at Soldier Field on October 3, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) Andy Dalton’s days as a Bears starter are surely over as Justin Fields looked like a completely different man â€" calm, confident, poised â€" than the version of himself that was beaten like a piñata in Cleveland a week earlier. It might have been the most progress a quarterback has ever made from his first start to his second, mostly because few have had worse debuts as Fields endured in the Dawg Pound. Partly because he was sacked eight fewer times this week.
And maybe it had something to do with head coach Matt Nagy relinquishing the play calling duties to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, which he did with positive results during a spell last season. “Bill did a great job,†said Nagy, without indicating whether Bill would continue to call plays … The Bears offence clicked largely because they had a ground game, and now that’s in question after David Montgomery left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. At the time of his departure he had 23 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns. According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the initial belief is Montgomery suffered a hyperextended knee and not a major injury … Damien Williams will step into the No. 1 role and likely be first waiver claim in fantasy pools everywhere … The Bears defence, which turned in another solid effort, also lost DT Akiem Hicks (groin) early in the first quarter ..
AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content SOME OTHER INJURIES OF NOTE …Bucs CB Carlton Davis (leg) was carted off the field in the third quarter Sunday night … Washington TE Logan Thomas (hamstring) left the game against Atlanta after five snaps … Football Team also lost WR Cal Sims (hamstring) and Jon Bostic (shoulder) … Along with the injuries to Bridgewater and Spencer, Broncos also had to carry on without CB Patrick Surtain II (chest) … Old Robbie Gould suffered a hamstring injury and had to hand the 49ers kicking duties to Mitch Wishnowsky. He connected on one point after and missed another … We’ll have to wait on updates out of San Fran for Garoppolo, DL Arden Key (head) and LT Trent Williams (shoulder) … Packers watched CB Jaire Alexander and LB Preston smith (shoulder) leave their game against the Steelers early … Ravens lost OT Alejandro Villanueva (knee) … Dolphins had to finish without hard-luck WR Will Fuller (hand) as well as CB Byron Jones … Saints RB Tony Jones Jr. (ankle) when he was carted off the field in the second quarter …
UP NEXT …Most anticipated games in Week 5 include a rare matchup of good teams on Thursday night (Rams at Seahawks) as well as the battle of the Justins (Fields versus Herbert) when Chicago visits Vegas, the Niners in Arizona and the best of the week on Sunday night â€" Bills at Arrowhead to take on the Chiefs.
dbrennan@postmedia.com
Share this article in your social network AdvertisementStory continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! Comments Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notificationsâ€"you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
0 Response to "BRENNAN In Bradys homecoming Jones was the better QB and Belichick was the best of the GOATS"
Post a Comment