Category: NFL

SUPER BOWL WEEK DISTRACTION BLOG – Let’s Talk Some 2019 NFL Draft (Senior Bowl)

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So I am not sure if I’ve mentioned this on the blog before but I am a recovered NFL Draft nerd. I guess I just like the research/analysis part and then getting to take a guess based on it. It started when I was a Sr. in high school and had a ton of time on my hands to be honest. I’m no longer into it even close as much as I used to be, but I still like to pop in and out this time of year, learn the big names and those of a couple of sleepers, and have some talking points should such a conversation arise at a bar or function.

One overlooked and sort of not as recognized part of the draft process is what is referred to very unofficially as “pre-draft” activities. The combine is the most well known part but I almost consider that as a beast of its own. There are actually a couple of additional “all star” games that take place. Leading up to these games are about a week of practices which are arguably even more important than the games as scouts can really view a players skill-set in a competitive setting but out of the chaos of a football game. Both of these games (there may be more, I don’t know them), the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Game, are open to those who are four years removed from H.S, Seniors and redshirt Juniors. The East-West Game also actually allows Canadian college players to come play as well, which is cool. These games are designed for players who think that some extra burn in front of scouts can really elevate their “draft stock” or get them drafted in general. Therefore, you’ll see a lot of players from smaller schools attend to get some eyes on them.

The Senior Bowl occurred last week so let’s break down some names that stood out, for better or for worse……

THE GOOD

Daniel Jones, QB, Duke – Now that Justin Hebert has decided to go back to school like an IDIOT, WHAT AN IDIOT, there is a battle to be the top QB in this draft. While a lot of folks anointed Dwayne Haskins after he declared. Jones Senior Bowl performance may have put him over. He has ideal size and arm strength and seems like he’ll translate into a “pro’s pro” when it comes to preparation.

Montez Sweat, Pass Rusher, Mississippi St. – He has a beast first step to go with size, length, and agility. He probably broke into the top 20 with this performance as he was already a 1st rounder before this.

Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina – Samuel is a brick shithouse of a WR who is now being looked at as having solid complimentary receiver potential in the NFL. In a passing league that requires more than one option, Samuel will be an appetizing 3rd-5th round pick. His build should often help him block in the running game, something a lot of teams are now leaning on their receivers to do more as they deploy 4 at a time.

The Bad

Will Grier, QB, West Virginia – This is the only one I got for this. Will Grier just looked like shit, which sucks. I loved watching him in college but he has a Pennington-esque noodle arm.

So that’s it. I hope it distracts you from nothing important happening this weekend. Stay calm my friends.

-Joey B.

 

REAL TALK: James White is the Most Disrespected Patriot of All-Time

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Image result for james white

In the midst of all the hoopla leading up to Super Bowl LIII, I had to take the time today to give some shine to go a guy who has just not been getting the love he deserves. This is a man who has always stepped up in the biggest moments and one whom is directly responsible for almost 60 percent of the points scored in the Pats’ last Super Bowl victory. (More on that last part in a minute.)

That man is none other than James White, and it’s time to make sure people know just how damn important this dude is – and has been – to the team’s success in recent years.

Look, this team runs through Tom Brady, and I don’t think we need to rehash the reasons why he gets all the attention. Julian Edelman, the NFL’s second-leading postseason receiver of all-time, is another player who’s obviously going to get a lot of love. And Gronk, even after a disappointing year by his standards, was the other Pats player who received pretty much all of the coverage at Super Bowl Opening Night – which obviously isn’t surprising considering the dog-and-pony-show nature of the event.

Image result for gronk super bowl opening night atlanta

Of course, Gronk made sure to ham it up all night on Monday.

But even still, other guys like the McCourty twins and former Patriot/current Ram Aqib Talib (who truly is a gem to listen to) stole the show, with barely a whisper from the Patriots’ leading pass-catcher this season. Yes, that’s right; White has 87 catches this season on a team-leading 123 targets. OH, and he also leads the team with seven receiving TDs on the year. The only receiving category he didn’t lead the team in was receiving yards – a stat in which he still finished second, only behind Edelman.

Let’s also not forget about the fact that White converted on six different third-down opportunities in the AFC Championship against Kansas City, helping to keep some very important drives alive in a game that the team won by less than a touchdown. Everyone wants to talk about Rex Burkhead’s and Sony Michel’s four total touchdowns, but White was a big reason why they were even in a position to punch the ball into the endzone in the first place.

There’s also a very misleading narrative out there which makes it seem as though White is solely a “third-down back,” meaning he is only capable of providing receiving ability out of the backfield while being useless as a “traditional” ball-carrier. That’s not only entirely untrue, but it’s also just unfair to a man who averaged 4.5 yards per carry in 2018 and has finished with a YPC over 4.0 in four-of-his-five NFL seasons.

Image result for james white

Contrary to popular belief, this man can actually handle the rock, too.

FURTHERMORE, he was asked to carry the ball a career-high 94 times this season – after averaging just over 30 total totes in his previous three campaigns – and he increased his YPC by 0.5 yards, setting another career-high. On the year, he compiled 1,176 yards of total offense with 12 TDs. At the very least, he’s a top-three candidate for team MVP this season, regardless of position.

And while his postseason averages of 5.3 receptions and 43.9 yards per game may not jump off the page, he has been THE GUY the team has turned to in the biggest moments. In 2015, he was targeted 16 times in the AFC Championship loss against Denver. I already mentioned how key he was to the victory over the Chiefs last week, and even in last year’s heartbreaker against the Eagles, White touched the ball 13 times and punched in a score.

He also had one of the single greatest performances in NFL history against the Falcons in the Super Bowl two years ago – and I’m sorry, but Brady likely still only has four rings to his name without No. 28 on the field that day. In that game, White had 14 catches for over 100 yards with three total scores, two of which were on the ground, plus a two-point conversion. And just a quick note about those scores: one of which was the game-winner in overtime. He now holds the record for most individual points scored in a Super Bowl with 20. Even after all of that, HE STILL DIDN’T WIN THE GAME’S MVP AWARD. (No disrespect to Brady, who won the award and led the epic comeback. But come on!!! There’s no way it shouldn’t have gone to White. Brady even said so himself.)

Image result for james white td

He fought for that game-winner, too! That wasn’t an easy score!

No matter what, though, this man just keeps chugging along without a complaint in the world. Seriously, when is the last time you heard something, good or bad, from James White? In fact, maybe that’s a big part of the reason why he’s never really in the limelight. Part of it could totally be by choice, which I completely respect.

BUT, I just had to say something, James. Especially considering how important this game is, there’d be no better way to cement yourself, once and for all, as one of the very most important players to ever don the Patriot colors than with another epic performance this Sunday. And even if it’s not another typical big-game showing out of you, any true Pats fan knows you’re one the main reasons why we’re even here in the first place.

Much love, No. 28. Much love.

Win or Lose Super Bowl LIII, Tom Brady Will Be Back Next Season

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With a tumultuous offseason that saw Tom Brady skipping OTAs and going on a world tour to promote TB12, coupled with the reports of tension between him and Bill Belichick, there was plenty of speculation that 2018 could be Brady’s last season. Don’t get it twisted, Tom Brady is my favorite athlete of all-time, but it would be a gigantic dick move to retire a year after essentially forcing the Patriots to trade away his young replacement in Jimmy Garoppolo. Brady was incredible last season; he was the MVP of the league and brought the Pats to the brink of another Super Bowl title in 2017, but it would be fair for fans, not to mention Robert Kraft, to be a little pissed if Brady left the team high and dry like that with no succession plan in place.

I never thought I’d see the day I wrote this, but it looks like Devin McCourty may retire before Tom Brady does. The GOAT seems to have outlasted yet another teammate a decade plus younger than him. Incredible.

Now, Brady has long said he wanted to play into his mid 40s, but he then released the mini-series Tom vs Time that literally ends with him openly questioning his love of the game and why he’s still doing it.

Soo it was naive at best, disingenuous at worst, for Tom Brady to wonder why people would question his commitment to the Patriots now. However, Brady put that to bed and triple stamped a double stamp this week when he told ESPN that there is a 0% chance he’ll retire after Super Bowl LIII. I don’t know about you, but I breathed a sigh of relief and I’m a guy that thinks Brady will play until he’s collecting social security. It’s just nice to know that when Sunday night comes and I am screaming and resisting the urge to kick a hole through my TV in what will undoubtedly be another stress filled game, it’s nice to know that I won’t also have to be worrying if this is the last time I ever see No. 12 on the field.

Will Tom play play until he’s 45? He’ll be 42 when next season starts, which means he’d have to play another 3+ seasons to hit that mark so I don’t know about that. But, he still looks better than the majority of quarterbacks in the NFL over longer stretches and is still the best in the NFL in clutch, gotta have it situations. So he should be in no rush to retire.

TB12 will always be there. Tony Robbins will always be there. But the NFL won’t.

So for now Tom Brady is still the King in the North and is my quarterback from this day until my last day.

SUPER BOWL WEEK DISTRACTION – Breaking Down Gronk’s Senior Basketball Profile

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Blogger’s Note: I meant to start these yesterday as we lead up to the game on Sunday. This is the most stressful week of (almost) every year and we could all use a distraction or 7. This one is Pats-related but  I promise the remaining three will be absolute nonsense and will take your mind off things….

To leverage one of the most prolifically used, intoxicating television quotes of all time, “He is a loathsome, offensive brute. Yet I can’t look away.”

That line, first used to describe not just a painting, but a perfect encapsulation of the essence of Cosmo Kramer, also applies seamlessly to this Portrait of a Young Gronk. From the head to the answers to the rest of the pose, this would give an alien who randomly landed on earth this very day an accurate representation of what the greatest TE of all time was and grew to be.

To start with the picture, I’d like to first point out that Gronk barely ages. If you look at this picture and then a picture of him now, his shaven head, which is a choice, is really the only difference. I’m sure people would point to other features of his face, but what I see is a kid still half asleep at probably 8:00am, dragged into a gym and told to put his uniform on for team pictures. The Gronk abides. Then we get to the hair. I have no doubt Gronk’s hair looked exactly like this all through high school. Papa G would agree this is known as the “Mark Hoppus circa 2004”. In Gronk’s case however, he isn’t a pop punk God who just tapped into his love for the Cure, he’s a 17 year old man-child pre-programmed to dominate varsity athletics and who doesn’t care what his hair looks like because it will either be smashed inside a helmet or matted with sweat at some point in the day any way. Probably multiple times.

Then there is the pose. HO MAN the pose. Can you imagine the energy that radiated through Robert James Gronkowski when he found out that he was invited to give everyone a sneak peek to the gun show on an otherwise unremarkable week day morning? He probably found some small dumb bells, or some resistance bands, or a freshman and got a few quick sets in to give himself some pump and tone. He through on that jersey and flexed, giving his best Blue Steel for the camera. Amazing.

Finally we have his answers. His “parents’ names” are, I suppose, not noteworthy if it wasn’t for the fact that they weren’t a bit out place. In 2019 that would be called a majjjjjor info sec breach. For “college choice” not only does Gronk peacock that he is leaving the dreary Northeast for the University of Arizona, but he is doing it on a full athletic scholarship. I can imagine he actually told the person asking him these questions (0% chance he wrote them out himself) something like “full boat for football” and the transcriber cleaned the answer up a bit. No harm no foul. Then comes the last question. The piece de resistance. Rob Gronkowski’s “hobbies”. I mentioned he was a pre-programmed sports machine and indeed he mentions sports as his #2 hobby.  That is, of course, only because #1 is working out, i.e preparing to dominate in said sports more efficiently. Then comes #3. The last but certainly not least. Chicks. Nothing in particular. Just chicks. Gronk like to talk about them. Gronk likes to talk to them. Gronk likes to do un-Christian things with them in back seats. It is and always will be his passion, his calling. If Belichick ever got him to take a vow of celibacy he’d probably go off for 120/1800/25 every year. He was close as it is.

So that is it folks. Your daily distraction in the form of breaking down a hoops profile of a young Gronk. Yo soy fiesta indeed.

-Joey B.

Did Deion Sanders Just Reveal Devin McCourty May Retire After the Super Bowl?

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What the HELL guys?? I don’t know if this was an open secret or not, but this is the first I’ve heard of Devin McCourty potentially thinking about retirement.

He’s only 31 so this came as a completely jaw dropping moment for me in my living room. This all came about 10 minutes after Julian Edelman broke Deion Sanders brain so I think he felt the need to redeem himself with a Woj bomb of sorts.

McCourty did suffer a concussion towards the end of this season though, the first that I can recall him ever having, so that may have changed things for him. Well shit. We’ll update you guys if we hear anything else.

The 300s Super Bowl Opening Night Live Blog

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Opening Night has become a media tradition ahead of the Super Bowl as we wait to see who says the most outlandish stuff. We’ll be updating this blog throughout the night so keep checking back.

Ranking Boston’s 11 Championships This Century

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It’s only lunchtime, but I’m going to call it early and say that this is the best tweet of the day. It’s the final plays from all 11 Boston championships this century, in a tidy 2:18 minute clip. Getting back to the original question, though, which one was the sweetest? Let’s discuss.

11. 2007 Red Sox Winning never gets old, but there wasn’t much drama in this Fall Classic.

10. 2004 Patriots A very businesslike championship for the most dominant professional football team of my lifetime.

9. 2018 Red Sox A complete steamroller of a team, they rolled through the playoffs without much opposition. A very satisfying, even if not dramatic, championship.

8. 2014 Patriots Brady got back on the board after a ten-year drought, but one play in particular is more memorable than the game as a whole.

7. 2008 Celtics Made the Celtics relevant for the first time in almost 20 years. The real drama may have been the summer before, though, with Danny wheeling and dealing.

6. 2011 Bruins The B’s came back from an 0-2 deficit to hoist the Cup for the first time in nearly 40 years. I recognize that many Bruins fans would rank this one higher.

5. 2013 Red Sox The only competitive World Series the Red Sox have played in this century, it capped off an improbable run to a championship in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings.

4. 2016 Patriots THE FALCONS BLEW A 28-3 LEAD!

3. 2003 Patriots The Patriots never make it easy for their fans. [What I would give for a 30-point blowout next week!] The Patriots and Panthers scored a combined 37 points in the fourth quarter, and the Patriots won it (again) on an Adam Vinatieri field goal with time winding down.

2. 2001 Patriots The Patriots’ first Super Bowl championship, Boston’s first championship in 16 years, and the first championship of my lifetime. That would be tough to top, except…

1. 2004 Red Sox Curse reversed. Enough said.

What’s your number 1? Let us know on Twitter @The300sBoston and @The300sBigZ

Breaking Down the Super Bowl Odds and Prop Bets

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Image result for las vegas betting

Each week throughout the season, we’ve provided our 300s faithful with detailed game previews along with weekly lines. But truthfully, we haven’t spent much time breaking down spreads or betting odds perhaps as much as we should have.

But that’s all changing now, as there is no more fun time of year to wager a little dough than during the Super Bowl.

The reason why it’s so fun is because of all the prop bets (aka “proposition bets”). Basically, these are bets which allow you to make guesses on what can sometimes be the most obscure things – all the way down to what color Gatorade will be poured on the winning coach – for no reason other than pure degenerateness. (Yes, I’m making up that word.)

Before we get into those, though, here’s a quick overview of the important game info and lines that everyone usually cares about:

  • Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
  • Kickoff: Sunday, Feb. 3, 6:30 p.m. ET
  • TV: CBS
  • Spread*: Patriots -2.5 / Rams -2.5
  • Moneyline*: Patriots -115 / Rams +130
  • Total*: 56.5 (total)

(*All of the information is courtesy of Odds Shark and updated as of Thursday, January 31.)

First and foremost, if you can get the Pats at -2.5, TAKE IT. That half-point difference is huge, because that means they only need to win by a field goal. For what it’s worth, I like the Pats in this one, so I’d be all over them and that spread. (I know. I know. BIG SURPRISE, right??) As far as the total, I’m very torn; both teams are capable of playing great defense, but they also both have two of the best offenses in the league. Gun to my head, though, I’m taking the over. Who wants to root for a low-scoring, boring Super Bowl anyway?

All right, now let’s get into the fun stuff. Here’s a list of some (but certainly not all) of the best prop bets you can take a stab at for Super Bowl LIII, again courtesy of Odds Shark:

(Side note: Rather than bog you down with the money line for each and every bet, which you can check in the link above, I’m instead going to talk in broad strokes about each one along with which way I think you should go.)

Length of the National Anthem

This is usually one of the more popular ones each year. This year, it will be sung by the legendary Gladys Knight, and the over/under is set at 1:47. The all-time record for the longest rendition of the classic tune is held by Alicia Keys, after her epic 156.4-second performance in 2013. (That’s over two-and-a-half minutes.) On the flip side, Kelly Clarkson lasted just over a minute-and-a-half the year before. Keys was also using a piano during her performance, and perhaps that helped her drag it out a little. Knight – another soulful, powerful voice – might be able to use those pipes to belt out some long notes, but I bet she just barely finishes under the mark. The pick: under.

Image result for gladys knight performing

What you got in store for us, Gladys?

Coin Toss

This is literally a 50/50. And regardless of what others try to tell you, past history has absolutely ZILCH to do with it. I’m honestly just spitballing here. The pick: heads.

How Many Times Will Broadcast Mention Sean McVay’s Age?

For those who don’t know, Sean McVay is the Rams 32-year-old head coach, who is now in his second year running the team. It’s actually pretty insane to see how much success he’s had so far, as most guys aren’t even lucky enough to get their first coordinator gig after only just entering their third decade on Earth. The fact that he’s going against the 66-year-old Bill Belichick – who’s been coaching in the league for over a decade longer than McVay has even been alive – is something that the network will OBSESS over, ad nauseam. The over/under is set at 1.5, so they literally only need to say it more than once for the over to hit. This might be the easiest prop bet of the night. The pick: over.

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What Will Be the Predominant Color of Adam Levine’s Top at the Halftime Show?

Again, some of those prop bets are just absurd, but what the hell? I’ll bite. It’s also pretty much a 50/50 choice, as the options are “black” or “any other color.” A quick Google search shows that Maroon 5’s leading man LOVES wearing black shirts. But, this is the freakin’ Super Bowl. You gotta show out! Plus, he’ll probably want to prove all the haters wrong, as I’m sure they are fully expecting him to wear the same old thing. The pick: any other color. (BONUS BET: You can also bet on whether or not he’ll be wearing a hat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the dude wearing one, so I’m going to go with “no.”)

Image result for adam levine performing

See, it’s happened before.

How Many Songs Will Be Played at the Halftime Show?

The over under is set at 7.5. I couldn’t really find any stats on the average amount of songs played per halftime show in the past, and every artist is different. At first, I thought 7.5 seemed like too many. HOWEVER, Maroon 5 will be joined by both Big Boi AND Travis Scott, who will both also want some shine on their stuff as well. I’m going to say it’s a bunch of short clippings from all three. The pick: over.

OK, now it’s time to step away from the silly stuff and talk about some bets that involve the actual action on the field.

Will a Non-QB Throw a Touchdown?

This is usually a very easy “no” in most NFL games. But this isn’t just “any” game, and these aren’t just “any” two offenses. McVay and Josh McDaniels are two of the best and brightest offensive minds in the game right now, and they’re going to throw everything they’ve got out there in this one. Still, I don’t think either will get quite that cute with it. The pick: no.

Will Any QB Throw for 400 or More Yards?

Jared Goff is not throwing for over 400 yards. He’s just not. Not against this defense. Not on any planet. I’m not saying Goff’s a slouch, and he’s actually surpassed the mark two different times this season. But he’s not doing it on February 3. Bank on it. But what about Brady? Well, he’s actually already done so twice in the Super Bowl; he had 466 yards against Atlanta in 2017, and he passed for over 500 (!) yards against the Eagles last year. The Rams have a really good defense, though, and they kept Drew Brees and the Saints’ high-powered attack at bay last week. The pick: no.

Image result for jared goff scared

The kid isn’t going gangbusters on us in this one.

Will Either Team Not Punt During the Game?

This is an interesting one. Again, these are two top-five offenses this year, and the Pats were money on that side of the ball last week in Kansas City. Los Angeles, however, wasn’t quite as spectacular, and they have a 24-year-old QB playing on the biggest stage in the world. And even as good as the Pats have looked lately, I don’t think either side will be flawless in this one. The pick: no. (Be careful here; the bet is asking if any team will “NOT” punt during the game. Semantics, people!)

Will Both Teams Combine to Score 76 or More Points, Breaking the Super Bowl Record?

I did say earlier that I like the over in this one, but 76 is a bit much. Both teams would need to score into the 30s, or at least one would need to score well into the 40s to hit the mark. As good as these offenses are, the defense on both sides is no joke. The pick: no.

Will There Be a Penalty for Roughing the Passer?

With everyone outside of New England being up in arms about the ticky-tack roughing the passer called against the Chiefs at the end of the game last week, OF COURSE this would be a prop bet. The fact that Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is playing in this game ups the chances of this happening by at least 50 percent, but in truth no quarterback is averaging more than 0.36 RTP calls per game against them this season. It really does not happen as much as people think. The pick: no.

Image result for ndamukong suh

Perhaps no player in the game has taken more cheap shots on opposing passers than this A-hole. But, with so much on the line, maybe he’ll actually behave himself in this one.

Then there are a bunch of scoring-related prop bets which can technically be based upon research, but they’re really more of a crapshoot than anything else. But, just for kicks, here’s a quick rundown of my picks for some of those bets:

  • First TD scorer for the Pats: Sony Michel
  • First TD scorer for the Rams: Brandin Cooks
  • Total TDs combined: Over 6.5
  • Total successful field goals: Under 4.5
  • Team to score longest TD (in terms of yards): Rams
  • Will a special teams or defensive TD be scored: No

And finally…

SUPER BOWL MVP

As much as I’d love James White to win it after getting ROBBED of the award against the Falcons two years ago, or for Rex Burkhead to win it and give me some shred of vindication for predicting him to be the team’s offensive MVP this season, I’m instead going with none other than Tom Brady. (I know. BOORRINNGG.) The man is the whole reason we’re even here, and with the Patriots relying on so many different pieces to keep the offense moving, it almost makes too much sense. Brady goes for 380 yards and four TDs, helping him become the ONLY man to win six rings. (Wooo! I just got the chills.) The pick: Tom Brady.

Image result for tom brady rings

This ain’t his first rodeo, guys.

And that still doesn’t cover everything, but hopefully it’s a nice little primer for you as you get set to make your picks for next weekend.

Be sure to stay tuned to the 300s all the way up until kickoff next Sunday for all the best Pats coverage you can find!

Patriots May Be Hiring Greg Schiano to Take Over the Defense. Why?

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PFT – The Patriots are set to lose linebackers coach and de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores to the Dolphins after the Super Bowl and that will make two years in a row that the team’s top defensive assistant has moved on for a head coaching job.

Per a report from the Senior Bowl, former NFL head coach Greg Schiano is a likely addition to the top of the defensive staff for the 2019 season. Schiano is in Mobile to talk to teams and NFL Media reports that “the spot that appears likely” is on Bill Belichick’s staff in New England.

Now this is just a rumor in the wind so we have no idea if it’s actually true or not, but we still wanted to blog about it because this would be WILDLY out of character for Bill Belichick. The man *always* promotes from within.

“While Schiano has never worked with Belichick, the Patriots coach has endorsed Schiano as a coach on more than one occasion since his son and current Patriots assistant Steve played for Schiano at Rutgers.”

Belichick likes to bring in young, smart guys and run them through the ringer until they either quit, move on, or become a football mind in his own mold. We very rarely see a big name come off the street to take over either side of the ball for Belichick. (Despite my downright mayoral campaign for the Pats to bring in former Oregon and Eagles and current UCLA head coach Chip Kelly to lead the offense….the pieces were all there!) Despite all that it never happened.

Just take a look at their last 5 defensive coordinators and their last 3 offensive coordinators (Bill has only ever had 3 OC’s in 18 years as coach of the Pats, that’s insane) and how long they had been with the team before. (Note: I am making a couple of assumptions here with titles since Brian Flores wasn’t technically the “defensive coordinator” he was still the man in charge of the Pats defense.)

Defensive Coordinators

  • Brian Flores (14 years)
  • Matt Patricia (8 years)
  • Dean Pees (2 years + bonus points for 3 years coaching at Navy)
  • Eric Mangini (5 years w/ Pats + 3 years w/ Jets + 1 year with Browns)
  • Romeo Crennel (3 years w/ Jets + 10 years w/ Giants)

Offensive Coordinators

  • Josh McDaniels (8 years)
  • Bill O’Brien (4 years)
  • Josh McDaniels (5 years)
  • Charlie Weis (3 years w/ Jets + 3 years w/ Giants)

And before you point to guys like Charlie Weis who didn’t have prior Patriots coaching experience under Belichick, Bill was the new HC in town and whats the first thing he did? Brought in guys he knew intimately from his time with the Browns, Jets, and Giants. Belichick has NEVER worked with Schiano at any level, which is why this is even more out of character. Maybe Bill sees the cupboards are bare and he can’t very well promote his son to defensive coordinator (yet) so why not bring in a guy he respects and at least in theory is on the same page philosophically. This is all before we even get into Schiano’s head coaching record at Rutgers (68-67) and his NFL coaching record in Tampa Bay (11-21).

Again it’s just out of character for Belichick, but as a man in his 60’s he may look around and see the well is dry as the rest of the league has come with a straw to suck any bit of water they can from that very well.

Or maybe, just maybe, this has been Belichick’s great white whale. After yearsss of drafting player after player from Rutgers, Bill finally gets his guy, the man who made it all possible; the former Rutgers head coach himself.