Tuck's Blog: Defense Has Rebuttal
Monday night's landslide victory over the Miami Dolphins is exactly what the Patriots needed: a confidence booster. In a game in which many people had their doubts, Belichick and his men marched into Miami on a national stage and flat out dominated their division rival.
Flashes of the 2001 Patriots shined last night, as they won through a strong defense and special teams. More importantly, they played with a chip on their shoulder, knowing they have been tagged with pessimism and disbelief. The Patriots know they are the underdogs.
They stepped up in a big way, being the only team in NFL history to score touchdowns through the pass, run, interception-return, blocked field-goal, and kick-off return in the same game.
Coach Belichick's hugs, handshakes, and high-fives for his players is something we haven't seen this season. For the most part, it has been cursing, yelling, and piercing stares. But after a grinding week of practice, Belichick can't help but be proud.
"It was a great effort. Those guys really work hard," said Belichick. "They work hard every week in practice. [Assistant coach] Scott O'Brien goes through a lot of little things and they do a great job of preparing," he added.
Make no mistake about it. Patriots safety Patrick Chung's electric performance wasn't all luck. The blocked punt and field goal were something the Patriots were studying extensively. Belichick saw a flaw in the Dolphins and he made sure to pound that point through.
"That's something coach saw," said Chung. "We practiced everything that happened in that game. We executed the way coach drew it up."
If players such as Chung, Rob Ninkovich, Mike Wright, Devin McCourty, Jerod Mayo and even Kyle Arrington continue to play physical, yet unselfish football like they did last night, this team will succeed. They may not be the top defense in the league, but making smart plays will help them earn the victory.
Even though the win against the Dolphins is a giant step in the right direction, the true tests will be against the likes of the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Indianapolis Colts. If the defense can hold their ground during these games, this team has a sure chance to go deep in the playoffs. Until then, the Patriots can take a breather and head into the bye-week with much deserved confidence.
"I was really happy with the success they had tonight. The plays they made tonight helped our team," said Belichick. "Those kids worked hard. They deserved it."
Don't worry Bill. We're very happy about it too.
