Let's be honest, blunt and frank: The last month and a half for Patriots fans has sucked. The feeling is as chilling as it is unfamiliar to watch a team who historically owns the months of November and December play like a second-rate FCS college team. Excuses of injuries can only go so far as Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and company have dropped four of their last six games as they back their way into the postseason.
The spoils of being a Patriots fan is that I have something to whine about when my team can afford to got 2-4 in their last six and still comfortably have a bye in the NFL postseason. As bad as things have gone for New England in this last month or two everything can change at Gillette Stadium on divisional weekend. Here is what worries me, RUST!
The honkiest of all Pats fans will tell you that New England will start magically picking up these third-down conversions. The stats are in that argument's favor. Patriots on third down before Edelman injury: 54-107 (50 percent). Patriots on third down after Edelman injury: 34-108 (31 percent). What the numbers don’t account for however is the rust factor that undoubtedly will play into Edelman's return. For those who think number 11 will be inserted back into the lineup and not miss a beat, I believe you are sorrily mistaken.
Reps in practice cannot take the role of an actual live, full-speed game. We saw Dez Bryant return from this same exact injury earlier this season and not return to his full self. Yet, despite my doubt the return of Edelman into the fold will at nothing less make opposing defenses have to respect his mere presence, or will most likely eat up a team's best corner.
More food for thought on this team is with the offensive line who has been suspect all year, but putrid as of late. With all of these injuries and moving pieces for the front five even longtime Patriots offensive line guru, Dante Scarnecchia, would have issues with this group. Current O-Line coach Dave DeGuglielmo has his hands full picking his position on this line with underwhelming performances from rookies Shaq Mason, Tre Jackson, and David Andrews.
Veteran lineman Marcus Cannon signs Brady’s death wish every time he steps out on the field and the once dominate center Bryan Stork's three concussions have seemed to finally catch up with him. The only optimism on this line is that Sebastian Vollmer, the team's best all-around lineman, is slated to return for the postseason from a knee injury he sustained week 16 in the meadowlands vs the Jets.
In a perfect world, DeGuglielmo should work with Stork to hone and develop his skills as a guard and use that extra bye week as practice to make the transition. New England who opted to go into the Giants game this year with only seven linemen were down to six following an injury in that game, which forced Stork over to right tackle. This was an unmitigated disaster. Taking a natural center and asking him to play tackle against professional NFL pass rushers is like taking a mute canarie and asking it to sing Bohemian Rhapsody in B minor. IT’S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE, even for Bill Belichick and his staff.
My last thoughts on the poor finish to the regular season is that there is still light at the end of the tunnel and history is on the Pats side. In 2009 New Orleans finished the regular season on a three-game losing streak, in 2010 Green Bay 2-2 in their final four games, in 2011 the New York Football Giants finished their regular season campaign with a 3-5 record, the 2012 Baltimore Ravens dropped four of their last five and the 2013 Seattle Seahawks fished with a lackluster 3-2 record in the month of December.
What did all those teams have in common? They all went on to win the Superbowl. So the essential question is momentum a factor in the NFL? Well, in the last half decade momentum headed into the postseason has been non-existent and for Patriots fans they are hoping that trend continues.
