The New England Patriots will compete on Sunday at Super Bowl LII in Minnesota (from 11.45 pm live on DAZN – optionally with German and original US commentary). Just like in 2005, the opponent’s name is Philadelphia Eagles and just as in 2005, the end of an era is approaching. SPOX illuminates the situation and dares to look ahead.
The Philadelphia Eagles drive their last series of attacks, but after a punt they start deep in their own Red Zone. And they don’t get far from there – Patriots-Safety Rodney Harrison, who puts the finishing touches to his interception against quarterback Donovan McNabb, puts the lid on it.
While the players of the winner begin the jubilee arias, three men are embraced on the sidelines. You know it’s over. The end of an era is reached. This was their last game together. Bill Belichick would remain head coach of the patriots, but defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis went their own way – to Cleveland and Notre Dame respectively.
Looking at this year’s patriots, there are no parallels to that Super Bowl in 2005. For the third time in four years, the patriots are still standing in the Super Bowl and can defend their title against the Eagles. And just as it was then, it is already clear – albeit not officially – that Belichick will have to look for new coordinators after Sunday: Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels will take over the Indianapolis Colts, Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia will be the new Head Coach of Detroit Lions.
In the knowledge of this, there is no end-time mood. But a certain nostalgia arises when you look around New England. The awareness that an era is coming to an end cannot be denied.
But whoever is honest will also admit that this feeling of the approaching end has prevailed since the last Super Bowl. Even then, at least Brady’s wife, Supermodel Giselle Bündchen, openly spoke of her husband’s resignation. As Brady buddy and former NFL kicker Jay Feely recently told Sports Illustrated, Bündchen even tried to get Feely to force Brady to resign.”She was totally serious,”Feely is quoted as saying.
Brady himself also addressed his wife’s desire for triumph in Houston:”If it were up to my wife, I would resign today. She told me three times last night:” The answer from the record super Bowl winner was:”Too bad, babe! I’m having too much fun right now.”
And yet, even in the past off-season, the patriots seem to have been aware of the fact that even for the seemingly infinite Brady, there is an end in sight at least once in a while. There is no other explanation for the transfer offensive, which is unusual for patriots.
They went all out, got a new deep-threat receiver with Cooks, reinforced the running game with Rex Burkhead and Mike Gillislee, got Dwayne Allen as a Gronkowski backup and defensively struck with Cornerback Stephon Gilmore on a large scale. The idea was clear: to get back on track and use Brady’s remaining time as effectively as possible.
If we compare the current situation with that of 2005, it is noticeable that the transition to the coming season may even be harder than it was then. At that time, a 14-2 season was followed by one with only ten wins – the second least in the Belichick-Brady era. The departure of the coordinators left a lasting impression, especially since New England went into the season without OC – quarterback coach McDaniels took over the job in 2006 on a full-time basis. Defensively, however, the drop in performance due to Eric Mangini was not quite as serious.
The players themselves were no big factor, the squad had not deteriorated noticeably. With Logan Mankins, the Left Guard even came by draft for the coming decade. This year, on the other hand, things will probably change not only on the coaching side. While Linebackers coach Brian Flores is the clear favourite on the defensive post, there is still no solution in sight.
Also, a number of key players become free agents. Primarily the departure of super-bowl-XLIX-hero Malcolm Butler and Running Back Dion Lewis are threatening. Both are likely to be in great demand on the free market and will be better off elsewhere financially than the patriots can – and want to – offer. Left Tackle Nate Solder could also be a possible exit.
In addition, there are possible cuts by players who put too much strain on the cap. All in all, we could see a patriots team in September that will have a completely new face. So almost, because if hell doesn’t freeze over, then at least the two main characters who started this unique success story and left their mark on it will return.
Tom Brady wants to play at least until mid 40s – he will be 41 at the start of the season. And after the Garoppolo trade, there is no longer any doubt that the career will continue. And Bill Belichick, then 66, only once said that he did not intend to coach in his 70s. These are still a few years away, but questions about his possible farewell in the case of the Super Bowl victory will arise – not least after the, from the team side denied, reports of alleged internal disputes.
And so it can be assumed that there is a bumpy road ahead for the two of them. New people must be found and integrated at all levels. But with the two experienced and successful supporting pillars, the end of the flagpole does not have to be reached even after the upcoming bloodletting.
However, the biggest challenges for both have already been identified. For Brady, the battle against time must continue to be dominated. And if we’ve learned one thing, it’s that you can’t ever write Tom Brady off.
For Belichick, this is the next rebuild. And the search for the next quarterback of the future. Quite a few claim that it is Belichick’s ultimate goal to put the franchise on a solid footing for the future without him – as would have been the case with Garoppolo. A new franchise quarterback after Brady is the key to this. If Brady actually plays until 45, he would have four years to find him.
But before these goals are tackled at the moment, the heads of the current Patriots era must once again mobilize everything to repeat history. Maybe even with an intimate three-way hug in the confetti rain of the Super Bowl.