Throughout last season and the beginning of this season, you always knew what
you were going to get from the Patriots
offense, efficient movement of the ball through mainly the air but also the
ground and a lot of points on the scoreboard. However, the defense was never a
certainty. The defense certainly has its fair share of talent and is very well
coached, but it is not the same dominant defense of the first three Super Bowls.
That is not to say it cannot reach that point eventually. For now however, we
are watching a defense capable of pitching a shutout but equally likely to let
up as many points as their prolific offensive counterpart.

The story of the defense today was bend, but don't break. Statistically
speaking, the Patriots defense did not play well. They allowed the Chargers
offense to march all over them for 470 total yards, with 372 of those yards
coming through the air. But that is the beauty of defense, statistically you can
play terribly and still come away with a victory. The most important stats for
the defense are the Chargers red zone conversion rate(2-for-4) and the turnovers
forced (four). The Chargers were able to run up and down the field on the
Patriots defense at times, but when it really mattered in the red zone, the Pats
defense rose to the occasion and stopped them on four straight downs one time
and intercepted a pass during another red zone stand.

If the Patriots don't keep the Chargers from scoring on those two red zone
trips, then the game theoretically could have been tied. And not to mention the
three other turnovers that stopped drives by the Chargers and in the case of two
of the turnovers, led to scores by the Patriots.

At the end of the day, although the Patriots defense did not by any means
dominate and on paper did not do too well, they made plays when they needed to
and were able to do what it took to get the win. Sure, there are many things
that they still need to work on, such as defending the check-down to the back
out of the backfield which was open all day for Phillip Rivers and the pass
rush. But those, among other aspects needing improvement, are fixable and I am
confident that with Bill Belichick helping
coach the defense, they will be fixed. The clutch plays that the defense had
throughout the game, from turnovers to red-zone stops, however, are not
teachable, they come down to the defenses ability and heart. And today, New
England's defense showed that they had the ability and heart necessary to make
the big plays and win the game. Sure, at times they bent like a paper clip, but
at the end of the day, they didn't break and as a result, the Patriots are
2-0.

Last night, we got greater insight into one of the greatest 
football coaches ever, with the premiere of Part 1 of Bill Belichick: A Football  Life.

This hour-long special showed Belichick in many different lights, many that
we would otherwise not see. From this, we learned a lot more about the
generally  secluded coach.

Here are a few things we learned from the program that we did not know or 
would have guessed before.

1. Belichick Knows How to Relax  and Have a Good Time
We see Belichick as a serious, no nonsense guy on the 
sideline and a boring guy on the podium during press conferences. What we did 
not really see until now is the more laid back side of Belichick.

The program opens with a shocking image, Bill Belichick, feet kicked back, on 
a boat off of Nantucket fishing.

He talks about how this is his place of serenity and how he doesn't need to 
worry about third and long out here. It definitely seems out of character for 
the Belichick we know, but perhaps we just don't the real Belichick.

2. Bill Belichick Is A Family Guy
With Bill Belichick seemingly constantly working, whether 
at practice games or just watching film at the stadium, you would think that he 
wouldn't have any time for his son, Brian. Well you thought wrong.

So how does Bill make time for both? The answer is, he doesn't, he just does 
them at the same time. During most clips of Belichick at practice or games, 
Brian was right by his side.

They even show a clip of father and son tossing around the pigskin while Bill 
gives advice on Brian's throwing motion.

3. Bill Belichick Is  an Emotional Guy
Most people view Belichick as an emotionless guy because of 
the lack of emotion he shows, usually during press conferences.

But we certainly saw a wide range of evident emotions by Belichick 
throughout. He showed exuberance after good plays were made. And on the other 
side of the spectrum, he teared up while going down memory lane in the Giants stadium, a place he  once called
home.

This gives weight to the argument that his lack of emotion on the podium is 
just an act.

4. Belichick Can Be  Funny
Before watching this program, I could probably
count on  one hand the number of jokes I had ever heard Bill Belichick
say.

One of my personal favorites was after Super Bowl XXXVIII when he was
asked  about Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction. He responded by joking, "We
didn't  see [it]. We were in the locker room...Nobody kept us abreast of
that."

We saw Belichick cracking jokes throughout the program. After Julian
Edelman  returned a punt for a touchdown, Belichick approached an injured
Wes Welker on the sideline.

He told Welker the story of Wally Pipp, who started at first base
until he  got injured and sat out a game. A guy named Lou Gehrig filled in and
would Pipp  would never see the starting lineup again.

5. Tom Brady Can Be Whiny
Listen, I'm as big a Brady fan as the next guy, but I just 
couldn't let this go. During one scene, Belichick confronted Brady over a few 
bad passes he made the previous drive and was trying to give him some  advice. 

Brady started whining to Belichick, claiming that on the first play he was 
hit and on the next throw it was right in the receivers hands.

I would be surprised if I didn't hear as much about this as the Uggs 
commercial from all the Brady haters.

6. Bill Belichick Can Trash Talk
I think that this scene was hands down the best
part of  the entire program. I can't help but laughing every time I see this.
Derrick  Mason had no idea what he was getting into when he talked trash to 
Belichick.

Little did he know that Belichick would do all but back down and
would dish  out some of the harshest trash talk I've ever heard. I can't wait
for round two  between Belichick and Mason when he comes to New England as a Jet.

Bill Belichick is an
interesting man, and no doubt one of the hardest men to understand in
sports—which is by design.

If you were asked to describe Belichick, what words would you use? Serious,
no-nonsense, winner, hard worker, boring, emotionless and keeps to himself would                           
probably be some of the first to come to mind.


But what about words such as fun and history/record chaser? Do those sound
like the Belichick that we know?


No, but despite his boring, serious and emotionless press conferences and
persona that do anything but leave this impression, deep down he can really be
described by the latter set of words.


Further evidence of this can be found with his recent signing of Dan
Gronkowski, brother of tight end Rob Gronkowski.


Did Belichick see a dearth of tight ends on the depth chart and go pick up
the best available? No.


In fact, Belichick had just recently lessened his amount of tight ends,
dropping Will Yeatman (among others) who was certainly capable of maintaining a
roster spot. In truth, Dan Gronkowski was certainly not the best available tight
end on the market after not making the final Bronco's roster.


But where's the fun in picking up the best tight end on the market? To
Belichick, that's no fun. Adding another Gronkowski to his roster, that is
fun. That makes things interesting, and that leaves room to make
history.


As far as Belichick is concerned (although you will never, ever hear this in
one of his press conferences), having two brothers on the team gives the
opportunity for something special and likely never done before.


Two brothers on the same team scoring a touchdown in the same game.


That would be cool, and more importantly, people would remember it. This may
seem out of character for someone like Belichick and may not be his true
motives.


But ask yourself these questions: When was the last time someone kicked a
dropkick in a game? And who holds the record for the most consecutive seasons
with a touchdown pass?


Doug Flutie was the last person to kick a dropkick in a game, and Vinny
Testaverde holds the record for most consecutive seasons with a touchdown
pass.


Both of these memorable occurrences were because of Belichick—he wanted
people to remember when he let Doug Flutie kick the drop kick extra point and he
wanted, when people thought of Vinny Testaverde's record, to think of how he
helped extend it by giving Testaverde the opportunity to throw that touchdown to
Troy Brown.


Soon, when you are asked of the last time two brothers played on the same
team in the NFL, you will immediately
think of when Bill Belichick signed Dan Gronkowski.


And potentially—even more intriguing—if someone asks you the last time two
brothers on the same team scored a touchdown in the same game, you could think
of the Gronkowski brothers reaching the end zone in a game this season.


If nothing else, Belichick wants to see Dan and Rob spike the ball in the end
zone in the same game and have people remember it.