I sat down for drinks with Red Sox president Larry Lucchino this past weekend. We met at the Eastland Hotel’s Top of the East Bar, and got pretty heavy into bourbon. Lucchino, a long-time friend and business associate, was in town to seek my advice on who should become the next manager of the Boston Red Sox. Lucchino mentioned Bobby Valentine, Tom Kelly, and Jim Fergosi. I offered up my opinion on each but Lucchino sensed that I was holding back. “What’s the matter,” he asked. The copious amounts of Maker’s Mark I had ingested erased all possibility of a measure response. I looked into Lucchino’s eyes and told him in no uncertain terms that Patriots coach Bill Belichick should be his top candidate. Somewhat taken aback, but clearly intrigued, Lucchino asked, “Does he know anything about baseball?”.
“Does Grady Little?” I countered. Lucchino took a deep breath, and ordered another round of drinks.
While not a candidate to replace Grady Little, Bill Belichick is one of the NFL’s best coaches. A Bill Parcells prot?g?, Belichick is a verifiable defensive genius and a proven winner. In today’s National Football League parity is the only weekly constant, and Belichick is the difference between savage mediocrity and success. His schemes, consistently executed effectively by his players, win games. The injury laden and talent deficient Patriots are 6-2, and stand atop the AFC East. All this because Bill Belichick gets professional football players to believe in and execute his games plans.
The Patriots are unquestionably light on talent. Tom Brady can get the job done in tough spots, but without a running back or big play receiver the Patriots are forced to find ways to win games, and they usually do. They do not turn the ball over, and make big plays when they need them. After a horrifying opening day loss to a vengeful playbook toting Lawyer Milloy and the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots are rolling – having won their last four games, including two weeks ago at Miami.
This Monday night, the Patriots travel to Denver to take on the Broncos (5-3) at Invesco field. After a 4-0 start, the Broncos are reeling with former Giants and Falcons quarterback Danny Kannel at the helm. Kannel is not a good quarterback. He looked terrible in a loss last week to the Baltimore Ravens. To make matters worse, Kannel has been struggling with the flu all week.
Still, the Broncos are undefeated at home this season and Mile High Stadium is always a tough place for opposing teams to play. Clinton Portis is one of the league’s best running backs and Denver’s offensive line is a band of rabid Montana militiamen hungry for red meat. Portis will keep the game close, but Denver’s inability to pass is just the sort of weakness Belichick loves to exploit with one of his genius defensive schemes. If oxygen deficiency does not overwhelm Danny Kannel, he could be picked apart by the gang of grocery baggers and clam-chowder-eating construction workers that Belichick lines up on defense. If Denver Coach Mike Shanahan is smart, he will not let Kannel lose the game for him.
The Broncos will be one-dimensional on offense in this game, but run defense is not the Patriots strength. If Portis has a big day, (150 yards or more, and a touchdown or two) the Broncos could overcome their offensive predictability and pull this one out. Also, the Patriots are fairly tepid on offense, and the altitude in Denver has a way of paralyzing opposing teams. I like Denver 20-13, with Clinton Portis on the horse-trailer.
Craig Giammona can be contacted at [email protected].