Everything points to Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots having an edge in Sunday night’s game against the Detroit Lions and former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
Belichick is 11-8 in games coached against his former pupils, and the Patriots are primed to rebound from their embarrassing Week 2 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. There’s also the fact that the Lions have been borderline abysmal through two weeks, and likely will be without their best cornerback, Darius Slay.
So it all adds up to advantage Belichick, right? Wrong, if you ask former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi.
The ESPN analyst discussed the matchup on Wednesday’s edition of NFL Live, and explained why Patricia might have the edge in this game.
“Well right now, based on last week, I’ll say this: I think Matt Patricia may have a little bit of an advantage,” Bruschi said. “I’ll say that because what Jacksonville had success against the Patriots defense — short, easy crossers. Nice safe passes to the running backs were very successful. Actually, they were free runners on crossers, this is fundamental stuff. So, how do they fix those problems, and what are those adjustments? I think Matt Patricia knows those adjustments and how to continue to attack those, so that can be said on both sides, yes I know this. But seeing the problems and trying to attack them again, I think Matt Patricia could have an advantage.”
While Bruschi might have a point about New England’s troubled defense, it still seems like a stretch to see Tom Brady and Belichick losing to a team that has looked so putrid through two games this season.
