FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- That now-famous gray, hooded sweatshirt worn by New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has white initials "BB" on the front of it, just in case someone else would dare want to wear that ugly thing.
The Patriots equipment people might want add a little "i" in between the Bs to remind us the most important thing about their coach: Best in Business.
Belichick's ornery personality and disdain for the media might make some lose sight of the fact that Belichick is not only the best in football right now, but he can also stake a legitimate claim to being the best ever.
The three Super Bowl rings validate that thinking, and going 16-0 in the regular season in 2007 only helps it, but this season's Patriots are all the proof we need of his greatness.
The man is winning with a quarterback who didn't even start a game in college and a running back who wasn't drafted and started the season on the practice squad.
All those who thought the Patriots would be atop the AFC East at this point after losing Tom Brady for the season in the opener step forward.
The two of you are liars.
I, for one, thought the Patriots would struggle to be a .500 team, even with their baby-butt-soft schedule. But after beating the Buffalo Bills 20-10 on Sunday at Gillette Stadium, in a game that wasn't nearly as close as the score, the Patriots are 6-3 heading into a Thursday night showdown with the New York Jets, who are also 6-3.
Are we seeing history repeat itself? In 2001, Brady came off the bench when Drew Bledsoe got hurt and led the Patriots to a Super Bowl victory. To think Matt Cassel could duplicate that seemed like lunacy when Brady went down.
It doesn't anymore.
|
|
| Matt Cassel is coming through for the Pats, burnishing the reputations of coaches Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick. (Getty Images) |
Cassel completed 23 of 34 passes for 234 yards and he ran for a touchdown on a 13-yard scramble.
"He was criticized greatly," Patriots guard Logan Mankins said of Cassel. "I would rather have Matt than about 99 percent of the quarterbacks in this league. He's playing great and we're winning games with him. He's seeing the game and making plays."
Seeing the game is the key phrase. The play that best illustrated this on Sunday came in the third quarter. Facing a third-and-2 from the New England 17, the Patriots called for a short rollout to the right and quick throw to Wes Welker. The Bills jumped the route. Cassel had to adjust.
All he did was take his eyes off Welker, move them to the left a little and see Jabar Gaffney crossing the field for a 12-yard gain, throwing across his body to make the completion. The Matt Cassel from Game 2 of the season doesn't make that throw, and even though the drive stalled it allowed the Patriots better field position for their punt.
"He's just more experienced and just more comfortable," Patriots center Dan Koppen said. "He's been here for four years, so he knows what he's doing."
In his fourth season out of Southern California, Cassel had 39 pass attempts on his résumé to start the season. With Brady, it didn't appear as if that number would go up. But when Brady suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in the season opener, it forced Cassel into the lineup.
Early this season he was jumpy and indecisive in the pocket. He was sacked 28 times in his first seven games because of it. In the past two, he has been dropped just once. That shows a more confident quarterback.
"I think early on the heart rate was definitely through the roof," Cassel said. "But as the weeks go on, you get into a routine and start to realize how to manage yourself before the game. So it's a little bit easier now than it was earlier in the season."
Cassel was helped Sunday by a stifling defense, which we expect from the Patriots, and the running of BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The rookie free agent from Mississippi rushed for 105 yards on 26 carries and scored a touchdown, the fourth in four weeks.
"I just take it one day at a time and go out there and work hard every day." Green-Ellis said. "Whatever they call, I run."
Green-Ellis was forced into action after the Patriots lost Laurence Maroney (for the season), Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan to injuries.
Like the others, Belichick had him ready.
Doesn't he always?
After the game, Belichick was his usual unexcited self, giving the impression that he had just watched his team during a summer OTA day. He did get testy when he was asked if the tight margin -- what was the questioner thinking? -- prevented him from resting players for this week's game with the Jets.
"What?" Belichick said, his face cringing at the question. "We're trying to win the game. It's the Buffalo Bills. We're not trying to rest anybody. You don't rest anybody when you're playing for first place. Come on."
Those moments are why Belichick might not get the praise he deserves. The ogre behavior sometimes masks the greatness of the man. It shouldn't. That's another story, one the fans don't care about.
Anybody who can get a team to 6-3 with Matt Cassel and BenJarvus Green-Ellis leading the offense shouldn't have anything take away from what he is as a coach, which is BIB -- best in business.
Matt Cassel and BenJarvus Green-Ellis? Are you serious?
