You have to wonder whether Mike Lombardi is about to be dropped from Bill Belichick’s Christmas card list.
Lombardi, a former NFL executive who worked with Belichick in both Cleveland and New England, has long been assumed to be a public mouthpiece for Belichick. Take the Jamie Collins trade in 2016, for instance. Plenty of people wondered whether Lombardi — who now works for The Ringer — was doing Belichick’s dirty work in the media when he criticized Collins’ play after New England shipped Collins to Cleveland.
Largely, Lombardi has been sympathetic to the Patriots’ cause, and for good reason. The Patriots have been very, very good. But there have been some cracks in the foundation this season, and it seems as if Lombardi isn’t buying what the five-time Super Bowl champions are selling.
During an appearance Friday on VSiN, Lombardi was asked which team he thought had a good chance of falling flat on its face when the playoffs started. His answer was surprising.
“I think New England is one of those teams. I think New England is not playing very well at all,” he stated. “They are back to 2013. They are back to where they have to run the football to score points. Brady has not played particularly well. I think he’s having one of the worst years he’s had since 2013. His yards per attempt are way down. His interceptions, he already has 11 interceptions this year. That goes back to 2013 when he had 11 interceptions.
“Their defense is very vulnerable. You watch that Buffalo game and Buffalo turned the ball over at the New England 5-yard line, a stupid — the kid just didn’t hold on to the football. They’re going to score and make that an even closer game. I think New England has got some significant issues. Their special teams, they’re the only team in America that blocks punts and don’t capitalize on them.”
This take isn’t entirely out of left field, though. During a weekly interview with WEEI Radio in Boston, Lombardi said in November he thinks “thinks this is not a good Patriots team.” He may not be entirely wrong, especially compared to past Patriots teams, but few should know better than he what they’re capable of doing when the playoffs actually begin.
