Legion of "Belichick" coming to New England or so says a somewhat dilusional "Boston" fan

'Legion of Belichick' set to rattle AFC
Posted by Obnoxious Boston Fan

If you're looking for one more reason why Bill Belichick loves him some Brandon Browner, just watch.

Coming soon to a Patriots game near you.

Browner and the Patriots agreed on a three-year, $17 million deal Friday. Once he completes his four-game drug suspension at the start of this season, the Patriots will have one of the most formidable defensive secondaries in the NFL. Revis is simply the best the NFL has to offer, no matter what Richard Sherman happens to Tweet each night, at the cornerback position. Browner is a legit, 6-foot-4, 220-pound hard-hitting bad-ass.

Reason 10,345 why we love the internet: @bbrowner27 on @WesWelker Vine. 6 seconds of coming attractions. #Patriots http://t.co/OcBgbdWNe3
— Obnoxious Boston Fan (@realOBF) March 14, 2014

The +Seattle Seahawks steamrolled their way through the NFC and then over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII thanks in large part to their secondary - christened the "Legion of Boom." Belichick has followed Pete Carroll's recipe for success [try writing that, never mind reading it] and has gone all-in when it comes to "playing the pass."

This may be the best offensive weapon they could have given Tom Brady [along with stability via his Most Value Hobbit in Julian Edelman].

Giving Brady reason to have confidence in the defense will only make him exponentially more efficient and accurate. He'll have less reason to force those deep balls that no longer travel quite as straight as they did back in 2007.

This "Legion of Belichick" gives the Patriots a menacing force downfield. Where just a year ago, New England's secondary was a Twitter joke, it should now lay waste to a sizable portion of the NFL. The Patriots were most susceptible 10-15 yards downfield last season. The emerging star of their secondary was rookie cornerback Logan Ryan. He found himself the beneficiary of opposing QBs who made the mistake of throwing his way and led the team with five interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.

Once Alfonzo Dennard gets out of jail [likely sometime in April] following his DUI arrest while being on probation for hitting a cop outside a bar, and Browner completes his substance-abuse-induced vacation, it will be a sobering realization for the rest of the league that the Patriots are now longer willing to bend, never mind break. The Patriots have Revis, Ryan, Kyle Arrington, Devin McCourty, one guy in jail and another who begins the season on a drug suspension in their defensive secondary. Browner has had 10 interception in his 36 career games. [He served a four-game PED suspension in 2012.] Smells like the makings of the championship contender right there.

New England ranked 26th in the league when it came to yards allowed last season. On 2nd and 7-9 yards to-go in 2013, the Patriots allowed a pass completion 71 percent of the time. Of the 102 times the Patriots faced that situation, 27 times they allowed a pass play of 10 yards or more, resulting in a first down or touchdown. When opponents faced a 3rd-and-7-9 yards to-go against New England, the purest of passing downs in the NFL, opposing quarterbacks had a 103.4 passer rating against the Patriots. In those 38 plays, teams averaged more than a first down, 9.39 yards, on every play.

Revis, at $12 million with a $20 million option for 2015, and Browner to the rescue. Talibistan seems like a million miles away already.

Peyton Manning smote the +New England Patriots in the AFC title game by having the best game of his career, especially given the setting and what was at stake. Aside from being nearly untouched all day, he was able to elevate up and down the field, leaving the Patriots' always a play behind when it came to coverage. No doubt the highlights from that game were first and foremost in the head of Belichick and millions of Patriots fans as NFL free-agency dawned this week.

The Patriots have never enjoyed such early success in the NFL free agency market. Wonderful. Even better that this just happened to occur as Brady's NFL Biological Clock whirs toward its eventual conclusion. It's doubtful the team is finished, either with Vince Wilfork or replacing/keeping Edelman and shoring up the defensive end position.

New England's three Super Bowl championships came with names like Willie McGinest, Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, Ty Law, Troy Brown, Lawyer Milloy, Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour sprinkled throughout the defense.

Bringing in a Revis and a Browner is a terrific first couple of steps back in that direction.

Defense wins championships.

Or so at least that's the way Belichick and the Patriots remember it
-------

Comedic Satire of Belichick, Brady, and Revis singing "We Built This City" (sort of)

+New England Patriots Belichick, Brady, and Revis

Darrelle Revis, Patriots A Perfect Fit As Both Upgrade Their Situations

Original by +Doug Kyed on +NESN on Thu, Mar 13, 2014

The New England Patriots waited a day and a half to sign their first marquee free agent. It was worth it. The Patriots got a steal when Darrelle Revis reportedly took a pay cut and agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract — $4 million less than what he made with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before they released him Wednesday. The deal works out for both parties. The Patriots add a better player than the one they lost (Aqib Talib), and Revis still can say he’s the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. He’s even making slightly more than the franchise tag number for cornerbacks, which is $11.834 million. Revis also gets to play for a team that’s nearly guaranteed to make the playoffs every season. 

Darrell Revis, with Tampa Bay

Not many teams can offer that kind of prolonged success, which Revis hasn’t experienced. Revis has been to the playoffs twice in his seven-year career, and he just suffered through a 4-12 season with the Bucs. The Patriots also received a third-round compensation pick when Talib signed with the Denver Broncos. The Bucs don’t receive a compensation pick for Revis since they released him, so the Patriots basically traded Talib and $2.5 million for Revis and a third-round pick. 

Revis wasn’t expected to take such a relatively team-friendly deal, so he no longer can be criticized for being “all about the money.” With teams such as the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets rolling in salary-cap space, Revis absolutely could have found a better deal than one year for $12 million. But every player’s goal is to win a Super Bowl, and the Patriots give Revis that chance while he still can retain his bragging rights. Patriots fans collectively freaked out when the Broncos took Talib with a six-year, $57 million contract with $26 million guaranteed, and that looks pretty stupid in retrospect. 

The Patriots landed a better player for $14 million less in guaranteed money. Patriots fans need to learn that Bill Belichick always has a plan, whether it works out or not. When the Patriots let Wes Welker walk last year, they signed Danny Amendola just minutes later. Belichick won’t lose a key player without signing a similar — sometimes better — player. The Patriots’ secondary looks pretty stacked now. Revis and Alfonzo Dennard will be the starting cornerbacks, with Logan Ryan and Kyle Arrington competing for the No. 3 role. Devin McCourty is an All-Pro free safety, and Duron Harmon looked just fine as a starting strong safety in his rookie season. 

The Patriots certainly aren’t done making moves, but adding Revis will go a long way toward bringing them back to the AFC Championship Game and possibly the Super Bowl. Have a question for Doug Kyed? Send it to him via Twitter at @DougKyedNESN

Read more at: http://nesn.com/2014/03/darrelle-revis-new-england-patriots-union-is-perfect-for-both-parties/

----------------------------------------

+SPORTS CR3W takes on the above, horrifying wordage in that article. SMH.

Mr. Kyed: While that is all well, and good, PLEASE don't fool yourself into thinking Revis is an upgrade at the position!!? That is a stretch beyond stretches. Revis has not shown glimpses of his former self, and he certainly has shown to NOT be the caliber of Talib over the last two years. The Broncos don't give up a pick, the Patriots are just awarded a compensatory one at the end of the 3rd round. Classic Boston writer/fan up above. Insinuating that Amendola was a better replacement than Welker and who else?? Browse the archives of this Patriots writer and he writes about Brady and the Patriots not having near the talented roster of Peyton or others. How can that be if Bellichick always has a plan in place to replace players that left or were signed elsewhere, then one or the current claim cannot both be true. And the +New England Patriots do have an obligation or they will lose a draft pick if they cut Revis after two years. They have 12.5 million on the take after 2 seasons... Plus, how can Belichick always have a plan in place when Talib signing occurred when Revis was still under contract with the +Tampa Bay Buccaneers ? Bad journalism, pure and simple. Landed a better player?? Really how so. Talib signing is stupid in retrospect, how? Took the top CB off of a rivals roster and secured him for the rest of his prime on their roster. Not stupid or quantified as stupid at all. They got Revis so easily because few were nearly as interested. At least report that aspect! Foolish! Report the news, don't report the story you want it to be unless claiming so...