A few of my takes on what allowed the Patriots D to be so successful, plus my contrarian take on a few other issues discussed this morning.
1. I read the stat last week that the Rams and Goff were absolutely abysmal this year against zone defenses. Like, PUTRID. Give Belichick all the credit for knowing that, but essentially he saw what several coaches saw. The Rams were solved this year when teams like Chicago and Detroit went total zone. Horrible against the zone. Belichick deserves the credit for knowing this, more than the actual players. He is incredibly smart and a great preparer so I wouldn't expect anything less than him knowing the Rams' achilles heel.
2. Jared Goff can't read a zone defense. This is a credit to the Patriot coaches. But it is also really down to the fact that Goff is young and got solved. The NFL solves you--they figure you out. Next year the Rams are going to suffer--they will be exploited, until Goff figures out what to do against zones. This is a testament to QBs like Brady and Manning and the like who consistently, year-after-year, find ways to play well and win--against ALL defenses. They do get solved, but then they have a second act, and a third, and a fourth. Does Goff? There are a good many QBs who whip through this league for one season, then they get solved, and they don't have a second act. The names are endless.
3. Tony Romo was absolutely right that the Rams had no business being in the game at all. Brady's INT, Gost's missed FG, the two near INTs Goff threw (one tipped by Simon, Hightower drop). I would tend to say the Rams lost the game more than the Patriots won it. That was some big league ineptitude out there. I was much more worried about the Rams because of their D-line than the Saints, but in retrospect, the Saints would have been bigger threats.
4. I get why people want to give the MVP to Gilmore or Hightower. Personally, I thought the D-line was even better than Gilmore. Hightower's pass rush maybe deserved it. BUT, I do think much of this success was due to Goff's ineptitude. He doesn't know what to do against zones. He drops way back. Deer in the headlights. I don't want to take anything away from Gilmore's play BUT--if I were told that any of the Patriots would miss the Super Bowl before it was played even, I would say first, "I hope it's not Brady." My second? Edelman. I don't know who of the Patriots receivers could do anything out there other than Edelman. In other words, the Patriots don't hold onto the ball, T.O.P., without Edelman. He was otherworldly out there. He put the DBs on skates with his nifty cat-like moves, he was like Kemba Walker doing a step back out there. I get why Edelman's short passes that he turns into 15 yard gains aren't sexy compared to the work of the D. BUT--did you see his moves? He has an incredible skill in his arsenal. I think he's unguardable. Without him, the Patriots are a popgun offense. Losing Gilmore would hurt badly, but I sit Gilmore before Edelman. Edelman played lights out, and he is more valuable. Say JC Jackson replaces Gilmore against Brandin Cooks and he gives up 2 big pass plays for 60 yards. Say that gives the Rams an extra TD. So the final score is 13-10. BUT--how much do the Patriots score without Edelman?
Edelman is my MVP.