Former Colts executive and current ESPN/Sirius XM football analyst Bill Polian has had some wild claims, specifically when it comes to the New England Patriots.
Polian has claimed that he not only had a first round grade on future HoF quarterback, Tom Brady, but numerous other current and former NFL players who were not drafted in the first round and have gone on to have success.
Polian’s latest comments sparked some more ridicule onto the Super Bowl winning former executive, when Polian went on to say the Patriots are ‘not as great as people think they are’. Listen to what Polian has to say, and his comments are not as crazy as they seem.
“Tom Brady was a quarter away from losing the Super Bowl last year pretty decisively,” Polian said.
He’s not wrong. The Patriots were infamously down 28-3 with just over 2 minutes left in the 3rd quarter to the Atlanta Falcons, before rallying to an odds-defying comeback to secure the franchise’s fifth Lombardi Trophy.
“They are a great team. They are not as great as people think they are. They’re not invincible,” Polian said. “What they are is exceptionally well-constructed and exceptionally well-coached. But, Tom Brady isn’t going to play forever. He showed some signs of being human last year on a number of occasions, including in the Super Bowl.”
Again, Polian is not wrong. Remember the AFC Divisional game against the Houston Texans? Tom Brady struggled massively against the suffocating Texans defense and posted an ugly quarterback rating at 68.6.
While this Patriots team is obviously stacked and star-studded, no team is invincible. The Patriots were stifled when facing teams like Seattle and Houston, who could generate pressure with four rushers and successfully press the Patriots receivers.
On the defensive side, teams with shifty tight ends and running backs can take advantage of an nonathletic linebacking corps. Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy and Shea McClellin do a terrific job stopping the run and rushing the passer but none of them possess the athletic ability to keep up with pass catching tight ends and running backs.
The New England Patriots this season are by far Super Bowl favorites, and it is not close at all. But they are, like Polian said, not invincible.
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