New England Patriots: It’s time for Bill Belichick to punch back

The most successful head coach in a matchup against the most successful quarterback in the last two decades in the NFL is the storyline as Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are set to defend Gillette Stadium against the invasion of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.

As dramatic as an Adele top 10 hit, the coach vs the quarterback has everyone talking.  Patriots fans, NFL fans, causal fans of the sport have been anticipating this one, but the real story is the X’s and O’s and whether the Hoodie can get his team back to .500 with a rookie quarterback who will always be in the shadow of the man who anchored the ship for twenty years.

In that respect, both the praise and criticism of Mac Jones will never be fair unless and until he writes his own chapter in New England Patriots franchise history.  But he is a rookie playing in his 4th NFL game and Belichick will protect his quarterback just like he protected Brady early in his career.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has a new chapter to write

Don’t let the narrative that the media is trying to paint fool you, Belichick and Brady admire and respect one another.  They have grown together, but like any dynasty in any sport egos start to take centerstage when the time at the top seems to be fading.

So, this fan believes Belichick when he said earlier this week that there is no quarterback that he would rather have than Tom Brady.

"“We’ve talked about that for two decades,” Belichick said in his conference with the media on Friday.  “I think I’ve been on the record dozens of times saying there’s no quarterback I’d rather have than Tom Brady, and I still feel that way.  I was very lucky to have Tom as a quarterback, to coach him, and he was as good as any coach could ever ask for.”"

Like most crumbling dynasties, it was simply time to move on.  Brady wasn’t pushed out the door, he is simple a man who is currently defeating time, that same time that is running out for Belichick as an NFL head coach.

While the quarterback is just 68 yards from taking over as the all-time NFL passing leader, the coach still has a little way to go if he wants to top the late Don Shula as the winningness coach in NFL history.  That hope begins with Mac Jones who he is trying to mold in the same way he molded Brady, but a different way.

The game is different in 2021 than it was in 2001.  Ironically, it was exactly 20 years ago that a sixth-round pick out of Michigan got his opportunity.  The Patriots started that season 1-3 before things really took off, particularly the defensive genius of Belichick.

That is where it’s time for the Patriots coach to do some fighting back.  While Brady and Rob Gronkowski were down in Tampa having fun and winning a Super Bowl, Bill Belichick pretty much became the NFL’s punching bag.

Well, it’s time for him to punch back and show the NFL that he still has something left in the tank when it comes to game planning and scheming.  Perhaps going up against Brady is his motivation.  If anything, it is his opportunity to get his team back on tract and believing in themselves as a good football team.

So far, this story taking centerstage on Sunday night has been all about TB12 and his journey.  Belichick has played the role as the evil villain.  But you see, even villains have a story as often they are misunderstood and villainized to prop up the hero.  Brady has had his glory without Belichick.

Now, it’s time the narrative changes.  The success a part is what will cement these two men as legendary.