The 'tush push' around the National Football League has been getting a lot of attention. Popularized in the 2022 season by the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, whom the Patriots outplayed for two quarters in their week 1 of 2023 matchup, the play has been so controversial that there has been chatter that the league will even ban such a formation moving forward! Lots of teams around the league have tried to replicate it, with some success, but we have not seen a lot of innovation on the play... UNTIL TODAY!
The Patriots had a third and short midway through the third quarter in today's battle against the New Orleans Saints in Foxboro, and decided to rush to the line in what the Saints defense clearly assumed would be a sneak. But not so! Starting NEP quarterback Mac Jones took the snap, and made a jet style pitch to running back Rhamondre Stevenson on the right side to a WIDE open gap to the outside! Did they go on to execute the play properly? Not this season, but the innovation was there! The second of incredibly innovative plays we've seen this year from the Patriots, after the Brendan Schooler run up field goal block against the Dolphins. WOW, just makes you say WOW! JC Jackson was back too and played well. Big, big day out there for the NEPs!
On the other hand... Mac Jones is throwing the football like a solid high school quarterback right now. A guy whose good, but not dominating at the high school level. I don't know what is happening... I guess he is just so hesitant that he can't throw anymore? So unsure of himself and the gameplan/play calls that his arm/brain connection is gone? I could make a lot of the throws he is at the moment, and I believe that in my heart of hearts. Kind of crazy, kind of sad. Even Zappe was missing pretty basic NFL level throws out there in cleanup time. Cardona has the yips, kicker is at a 50% make rate, defense is decent but they are getting put in terrible field position each time they get on the field. It's ugly all around.
What goes up must come down... it's science. Twenty years of dominance, six super bowl wins, a couple of years of mediocrity, and now the hope for the first overall pick. If you're gonna suck, it's better to really suck than just be stuck in that mediocre doom spiral for years and years. Develop some of the guys on the defense, send Matt Slater off into the sunset (hope he find a blocked kick for a TD later this year) and call it a season. What kind of dumb, stupid, idiot talking head wannabe media moguls would think this team could go 12-5 and make the playoffs after week 1? What kind of people?! That would be sad... we would hate to see that type of behavior. Does Belichick ship the QBs out, bring in a vet, and shoot for some short-term respect? We will see...
What seemed academic... now seems like it may be tough... does Belichick get to Shula? God I do hope so. But I don't believe he'll stick around just to stick around, respects the game too much. Curious to see if he falls on the sword here too... does he say 'I just don't have these guys in a position to succeed' anywhere? In a press conference? This is unprecedented territory, really weird and uncharted grounds for the NEPs. Seventeen more wins all-time for Bill feels like a lot in Foxboro right now... I believe this is the blog gods saying 'Dan, it's time for you to focus on other things at OTM right now' and perhaps I will listen. Back to reality, god bless, and buy a Sartoro suit.
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