This 'Football Life' Clip Shows How Much Bill Belichick Cares About Full 60-Minute Efforts
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots have controlled both of their wins so far in the 2015 season. Just not for a full 60 minutes.
In their season-opening win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, they spent much of the fourth quarter up by two touchdowns before allowing a garbage time score to Antonio Brown just before time expired. Last Sunday in Buffalo against the Bills, they went up by as much as 24 points but let the Bills back in it with greedy play-calling and lax defensive play in the final 10 minutes, winning by just 8 points.
Coach Bill Belichick has always preached giving a full 60-minute effort regardless of the score, as should any professional coach. As the season goes on, the games will only get tougher and your focus will need to stay sharp. Belichick doesn't want to enter a playoff sword fight with a dull blade.
The Patriots felt Belichick's wrath in Week 16 of the 2009 season against this week's opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Up 35-0 early in the fourth quarter, the defense got cocky. Jumping around like a "bunch of [expletive] punks," as Belichick called them, they lost their focus and allowed a touchdown to ruin their shutout chances.
Want to know how much Belichick cares about a full 60-minute effort? I give you this oldie-but-goodie below. In this classic clip from Bill Belichick: A Football Life, it didn't matter that the Patriots were still up by four touchdowns. Belichick wasn't going to stand for that kind of behavior - and it resulted in easily the angriest Belichick you'll ever hear:
The Patriots have looked great with their foot on the gas this season - they just haven't done it for 60 minutes. And that day in 2009 may be fresh in Belichick's mind with the Jaguars coming to Foxboro on Sunday.
Belichick pokes at his own team, saying they must play a full 60 minutes "something we haven't done this year."
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) September 23, 2015
Speaking to reporters at his Wednesday press conference, Belichick called this year's Jaguars "a good young team that's really hungry and very talented." Despite the popular perception of Jacksonville as a laughingstock, Belichick is not taking them lightly.
"Their talent level, their youth, their energy, their toughness, it's gonna be a big challenge for us," he said.
The Patriots have at times had problems closing games out in recent years, and the issue looks to be resurfacing again in 2015. But if you ever need motivation to always give 100 percent, just re-live that clip from A Football Life. Even if you're up 28 points, don't let up. You never know when a team might come back to bite you. Even the Jaguars.
Tune in to Sunday's Patriots-Jaguars game on 98.5 The Sports Hub and WBZ-TV — the flagship stations of the New England Patriots. Pregame coverage on 98.5FM begins at 10am, with a full postgame show following the game. WBZ-TV's coverage begins with Patriots GameDay at 11:30am, and after the switch to myTV38 for Patriots 5th Quarter!