Strong Captains of a Strong Team

Andy Gresh is one of my favorite guys in the world. He runs a phenomenal radio show with Scott Zolak, and last week they were discussing the mixed feelings in Boston towards Epstein’s departure. They couldn’t really get a grip on whether it was a sad day or a happy day when Theo went to the Cubs. Gresh brought up an interesting perspective: the only two guys who can conceivably fix the Red Sox -- Theo and Tito -- are gone. Now what?

This relates to my current thoughts on the Patriots. Who’s in charge here, and who's gonna fix this? What made the Red Sox so hated -- one of many things -- was the sense that no one was in charge. Would could let this happen? The beer, the chicken, the dismal pitching, the total apathy in every player on the field, the poor choices in talent. It was a cumulative effect that seemed like the inmates had taken over the asylum. Now obviously I’m not comparing the Sox and the Pats, because we’re only midway through the season and 5-2’s a respectable record. But there is a leadership question. The Bodden release and the Edelman fiasco was like a one-two punch, and thrown into the mix was a disastrous game against Pitt. And on top of that, the players don’t seem terribly bothered by any of this. To some extent, I’m an advocate of the “never let ‘em see you sweat” mantra, but sometimes I want to know that the players know that we are concerned. I want them to know that they’re not playing well enough to win, and I want to know they’re committed to playing better. I’m getting tired of hearing some of these interviews; I don’t mean to single-out Gronkowski, but the guy had the audacity to say something about the need to execute better and score more points. Comments like that give me pause. It makes me wonder who’s in charge of this ball club, and who’s gonna right the ship.

Again, I’m not pressing the panic button. Most teams would love to be 5-2, so I can’t complain all that much. But I look at the Packers, I look beyond their record, and I see a coach and quarterback who are in complete control of that team. I see strong captains of a strong ship. Vince Wilfork is the co-captain of the Patriots, I love the guy, but I was not comforted by his radio interview this week. He seemed like he had a slight case of denial about the weakness in his squad’s defense, and kept highlighting “communication” as the issue. When teams use buzzwords like “communication” and “efficiency” and “execution” as reasons for losing, I tend to feel as if the player speaking has no idea what’s really wrong with his guys. Or worse, they do know, and don’t want to tell the media.

Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks are questionable for the Giants on Sunday, and I’m conflicted about how I feel about that. Obviously I want to win this game, not only because I hate the Giants, but also because the Patriots are in a competitive AFC East and our top spot is fragile. In the short run, having two of the Giants’ best players in civilian clothes on Sunday is a great thing. But in the long run, I wonder if it’s better for us to play against the full Giants squad so we can see how we stack-up against elite teams in crucial situations.

I’ve been watching ESPN and NFL Network all day, and I’m slightly concerned by how many times I’m hearing about our stellar record at Gillette Stadium against NFC opponents, and how we don’t lose back-to-back games. This is eerily similar to two weeks ago, when all I heard about was how incredible we were in the past few seasons against the Steelers. It doesn’t take a football genius to know that any game against the Steelers or the Giants or the Jets is up for grabs, no matter what history tells you.
I’ve been listening to the Pete Sheppard Show all week, and he seems extremely confident about the Patriots bouncing back from last week and taking their aggression out on the Giants. I appreciate his confidence, and part of me is really with him in that sentiment. I like our chances. But I’m still concerned about who’s in charge of this team right now. Bill is stone-faced as ever, Brady seems his normal we’re-gonna-be-ok self, and all the players seem poised. But no one can dismiss the unbelievable horror of that loss in Steeler Country. It sent every New England fan into a severe depression. Right now, with the Celtics in lock-out, the Bruins in a state of malaise, and the Red Sox having totally melted down, Boston fans know that the Pats are the only hope in the foreseeable future.

Once the taste of this Red Sox season is rinsed out of our mouths, and when people can asses the situation clearly, I think Boston fans are going to be upset that Theo’s gone. Tito too. I don’t want the Patriots to find themselves in a similar situation. A championship ball club needs championship leadership. Right now, there’s a lot happening on that football field that does not feel like there’s a higher power in control. What I want, really, is for someone on the Patriots to drop the political answers, the fake positive spin, and the Buster Keaton stone-face act, and just tell me what’s up with the squad. How are you guys really feeling? What’s going on? Do you see the adjustments that need to be made, and can you make them?