Isn’t it still a little crazy the New England Patriots actually won Super Bowl LI?
Patriots fans have been asked when and if they gave up hope of their team winning the Super Bowl since the historic comeback Sunday night. As an impartial observer, the game became significantly less fun when the Patriots were down 21-3 at halftime, and Patriots fans started tweeting about how the defense was bad again. (It’s been a season-long war between myself and a subset of fans who enjoy complaining more than winning.)
I fully accepted I was not covering a winning team when the Atlanta Falcons went up 28-3. At the time, I wrote, “It would take about four miracles for the Patriots to win in 23 minutes and 31 seconds.” Well, those four miracles — and they absolutely were miracles — actually happened, and the Patriots actually won Super Bowl LI.
Needless to say, I don’t blame Bill Belichick for going back to his hotel Sunday night and making sure he didn’t dream that incredible end.
By the way.
Let’s get into our post-Super Bowl mailbag.
@DougKyed why not send Jimmy for deandre Hopkins and a 3rd or 4th round pick
— @KoeglerMatt
It’s certainly not a terrible idea.
I found the report that the Patriots tried to trade Jamie Collins to the Houston Texans for Hopkins very interesting. Hopkins’ rookie contract expires after the 2017 season, and he had a down season in 2016. That almost certainly was because Brock Osweiler is terrible, but if the Texans have any doubts about Hopkins, then getting a quarterback who’s exponentially better in a trade wouldn’t be a bad move at all. Quite frankly, taking all precautions to ensure Osweiler doesn’t take another snap in Houston should be priority No. 1 for the Texans this offseason.
@DougKyed Last 6 games, Patriots run game kept getting blown up by D line penetration. Why? #mailDoug
— @MrQuindazzi
That’s a really good question, Mr. Q. Joe Thuney, David Andrews and Shaq Mason all are younger, smaller interior offensive linemen, and football players tend to lose some bulk and strength as the season goes along.
I think all three players could afford to continue to hit the weight room harder as their careers progress. I could too, for the record.
@DougKyed is the defense any good?
— @dporterjax33
Not gonna lie, my favorite mailbag questions this week were the ones making fun of the Twitter followers who trolled me all season about the Patriots’ defense.
The Patriots played the NFL’s best offense in Super Bowl LI and let up 21 points. That’s pretty damn good.
Turns out the Patriots’ defense actually was good. Whoda thunk it? Oh, me.
@DougKyed hey Doug was that a good comeback by the patriots in the super bowl? Thanks for answering.
— @DanJMoran
I might even go as far as to say it was a REALLY good comeback. Maybe even a great one.
@DougKyed But heres the best one yet… What would’ve happened if the Falcons won the OT coin toss?
— @RustyRoyas
With the way the Patriots’ defense was playing, they could have held the Falcons to a field goal or punt, which then would have given New England’s offense a chance to win. But one big play could have changed that.
With the coin toss and Julian Edelman’s insane catch, there certainly was some luck involved in the Patriots’ comeback. But there was a lot more skill.
@DougKyed biggest unsung hero of the season/super bowl?
— @KazerTazer
Season? Probably Alan Branch. He really helped solidify the Patriots’ defensive line all season. And his dance moves were always welcome.
Super Bowl? Maybe Danny Amendola. He hasn’t received nearly the same pub as guys like Tom Brady, Dont’a Hightower, Julian Edelman and James White, and he had a massive game.
@DougKyed With free agency and the draft coming up. What would you rank our 3 biggest offseason needs. #maildoug
— @beaubradys
1. Linebacker: The Patriots either need to re-sign Dont’a Hightower or draft a linebacker very early.
2. Running back: Even if the Patriots bring back LeGarrette Blount, it wouldn’t hurt to draft a young running back early.
3. Pass rush: The Patriots only have Trey Flowers, Rob Ninkovich and Shea McClellin under contract as edge rushers. If they could find a defensive end in the draft to pair with Flowers for the foreseeable future, it would be massive. And yes. It’s another year in which the Patriots need a pass rusher. At least they don’t need a wide receiver.
Let’s go rapid fire:
@DougKyed Ok Doug, early mailbag question: How do you feel about the term “SIXborough” For ’17??? #SIXborough
— @TherealFTown
If I’m being honest, I don’t like it. Trying a little too hard. Sorry, dawg.
@DougKyed have the Patriots played a good QB yet?
— @HailtotheHoodie
I told you I love these questions trolling the trolls.
And I dunno. Is Matt Ryan even elite?
@DougKyed if Garoppolo gets traded, do the Pats draft another QB or pick up a veteran?
— @EliLevinson
I believe they’d sign a rookie free agent after the draft. There’s no need to invest too heavily in a quarterback with Jacoby Brissett on the roster.
@DougKyed What are your off-season plans Doug? #MailDoug
— @StephenPorier
So far it’s been waking up late and sitting on the couch all day writing.
I’ll keep doing that, and I have a wedding to go to in Florida later this month. We also have some emerging plans for video content to look forward to.
@DougKyed What were some of the Sound FX highlights if the press box had been mic’d up?
— @TeamCrazyMatt
Me laughing hysterically when they showed a replay of Julian Edelman’s catch and saying “Holy (expletive), he (expletive) caught it” over and over again.
There was also my boss saying, “You can’t write this stuff” and me replying, “Well, I’m trying.”
@DougKyed Are you always in awe when your around @jeffphowe? #maildoug
— @RumGeoff
Never.
@DougKyed If you had to name a non-player MVP for SB week (could be anyone), who’d be that person?
— @AndresStein05
Barstool Sports, maybe?
@DougKyed Will the jersey the Pats give to Trump say “Trump SR” on the back?
— @thehothi
Nah, it’ll say “Easy D.”
@DougKyed Predict the BS: What excuse will Goodell come up with to avoid visiting Foxboro next year?
— @danek73
He forgot he had a lunch.
@DougKyed If there was a beat writer MVP award for covering the Super Bowl, who gets it? #mailDoug
— @MrQuindazzi
I feel insulted you’re even asking, Mr. Q. It’s clearly me.
@DougKyed Parles-tu français ?
— @max_leon1
Comme-ci, comme-ca.
@DougKyed What would happen if YOU told NESN you weren’t going to go to the White House to cover the team?
— @junkfishjordan
I don’t really know, but it’s different because no one is honoring me. I would be going as a journalist.
@DougKyed what’s your least favorite thing about @EmersonLotzia? #maildoug
— @JeffWIIM
Just his general demeanor, I think.
@DougKyed Sup? #maildoug
— @June__NYC
Just trying to toe the line between writing about the Super Bowl and offseason. And as always, I’m trying to get better everyday.
I think it’s actually working. This mailbag is great.
@DougKyed what did you do after pats won the Super Bowl? Did you party?
— @JJGSoldier
I wrote a lot, then slept three hours and covered the Roger Goodell, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick news conference. That was the better option (barely) than just staying up all night.
@DougKyed Koko B.Ware, Roger Goodell, Bacon, Nachos or Godzilla? Discuss . #seriously #not
— @Luffy_Hz
Definitely bacon.
This is the best question of the year.
@DougKyed Is Joe Flacco a elite quarterback?
— @BerndBuchmasser
Is Matt Ryan a elite quarterback?
@DougKyed how many hours of sleep did you get last week?
— @PFF_Steve
Hey, Step-Cousin-In-Law Steve. As you know, it wasn’t much. I would guess I got less than 40 hours of sleep in the seven-day span from Monday through Sunday of Super Bowl week.
I kept making the mistake of putting off what I planned to write in the morning, going out, and then having to write anywhere between 1:30 and 3 a.m. Then I’d wake up the next morning at a respectable time because I tried to be a kind of responsible adult. Needless to say, I don’t feel normal yet.
@DougKyed is it common practice to sleep in the media work room?
— @PFF_Steve
It reached a breaking point Friday, when I attempted to fall asleep in the media work room after getting four hours of sleep Thursday night through extenuating circumstances. I failed, might as well have been dead at dinner then caught a second wind at night.
I actually was going out to lunch Friday, walked the wrong way and had to take an Uber so I wasn’t even later than I already was. The Uber driver asked me what I had been taking to stay awake, and I said, “Caffeine…”
She replied that she was surprised I wasn’t drinking Red Bull, Cuban coffee or five-hour energy drinks. Apparently she thought I was just popping caffeine pills? I wasn’t, for the record. But I did have a lot of coffee, energy drinks, Diet Pepsi (it was free) and Diet Mountain Dew.
@DougKyed Does it concern you that the Pats still don’t have a signature win?
— @StinkyEarl
You guys are the best.
@DougKyed what do you use to style your hair
— @dawes_matt
Bona Fide fiber pomade.
@DougKyed but what’s heavier, a pound of rocks or a pound of feathers?
— @justin_don
A two-pound mailbag.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
