Week 10: Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
Around the midway point of the 2019 season, the New England Patriots were riding high. They were 8-0 and looked to have the league’s toughest defense. Nicknamed “The Boogeymen,” the Patriots’ defensive unit was scaring the wits out of opposing quarterbacks, and were leading the league in scoring defense. In fact, to that point in the season New England’s defensive and special teams units had scored almost as many points themselves as they had surrendered.
But then a huge meeting in Week 9 loomed, a matchup between the Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. It had many football minds, such as myself and Doug Farrar, debating about how the Patriots would contain Lamar Jackson and company.
They never really had a chance, looking back.
Jackson and the Ravens’ offense was dominant that night, and whatever Bill Belichick tried (Tite fronts, five linebackers, sub packages) nothing worked.
In Week 10 we will get to see what Belichick tries next to slow them down.
A potential part of that possible solution? Rookie safety Kyle Dugger. Sure, drafting a Division II safety early in the second round might be the most Belichick move of all time, but there is a likely reason behind the madness. Belichick saw on that Sunday night a defense exposed, without the athleticism to match the Ravens and Jackson. Dugger, while he might be raw, was one of the most explosive athletes in the draft. He might need some work before he is ready to take on every aspect of Belichick’s defensive playbook, but Belichick might have had this game in mind when the Dugger pick was made. He can throw the playbook out the window and just tell his rookie safety: Find number eight. Wherever he goes. I mean, think of him as chewing gum. By the end of the game, I want to know what flavor he is. Alright?