The Patriots have been struggling to find their footing in the NFL after a Super Bowl run last year. Bill Belichick is bringing back an old face of his coaching staff, and he could be just what the doctor ordered for the Pats.
Bill Belichick is bringing a familiar face back to Foxborough at exactly the right time. The Patriots are coming off of their first loss of the season, and they will be looking for answers. Read more in detail here: brady belichick.
Bill Belichick has a reputation for bringing out the best in athletes who have fallen short of expectations elsewhere. While not all of his reclamation efforts have paid out, the New England Patriots have undoubtedly benefited from his ability to transform scraps into contributions.
Belichick can’t afford any more defeats with his club 0-3 thus far if he wants to make the playoffs. Fortunately for the great coach, the Detroit Lions gave him the opportunity to bring a familiar face back to Foxborough at the perfect moment.
Jamie Collins is something Bill Belichick can’t get enough of.
Jamie Collins will return to the Patriots for a third tour of duty, according to Bill Belichick. | Adam Glanzman/Getty Images
Belichick may have sent Jamie Collins out of town in 2016, but he brought him back a few years later. While the 2013 second-round selection had a career-high in sacks (seven) and interceptions (three) in his second stint with the Patriots, he didn’t have the effect the Lions anticipated when they signed him to a three-year, $30 million deal in March 2020.
After Collins was released by Detroit on September 28, rumors of a return to New England began to circulate. Given his understanding of the system and the Patriots’ need for more linebacker depth, he seemed like a good match for the club.
It’s no surprise that Belichick is eager to make it happen.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Patriots are working on a contract with free agency LB Jamie Collins to bring him back for his third tenure with the club. “Given his experience with the scheme, Collins should be able to contribute straight away.”
The 6-foot-3, 255-pound defender would bolster a strong front seven that already features Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy, as well as promising youngster Christian Barmore and high-priced free agent Matt Judon.
The veteran linebacker is returning to Foxborough at the perfect moment.
With the exception of Matthew Judon, the #Patriots haven’t received enough linebacker action this season. A reunion with Jamie Collins would offer them greater speed and perhaps steal KVN’s thunder. Van Noy was good in the opener, but has struggled in the past two games.
October 5, 2021 — Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi)
Collins’ return was timed well by Belichick. The Patriots, after all, have already dug themselves a hole by losing winnable games to the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The six-time Super Bowl winners must, without a doubt, step up and start stringing together wins before it’s too late.
The offense clearly needs a lot of work, but the defense has performed well so far. Given the number of new faces on that side of the ball, the Patriots’ xx in points allowed through four games seems positive. However, it’s also fair to blame the unit for failing to come up with stops in a pinch.
Is it possible that this will alter if Collins joins the team?
It’s difficult not to be enthralled by the potential personnel combinations the Patriots might use with him in the mix. Collins, Hightower, and Van Noy are all capable of playing both off the ball and at the line of scrimmage. Belichick has three dynamic edge rushers in Judon, Josh Uche, and Chase Winovich, who can wreak havoc on quarterbacks. Ja’Whaun Bentley also contributes as an early-down run stuffer.
With Collins on board, New England will be able to be even more imaginative with their blitzes and stunts. It wouldn’t be surprising if Belichick used the amoeba defense to utilize his linebackers’ abilities. This strategy may aid the Patriots in perplexing opposition offensive lines, disrupting the passing game’s timing, and forcing crucial turnovers.
Do the Patriots have what it takes to be a top-tier defense?
“We certainly feel like we can match up against any offense in the league,” Kyle Dugger says.
In the first four games, the Patriots’ defense has given up 17, 6, 21, and 19 points. pic.twitter.com/DfCIGcx5TU
October 4, 2021 — Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN)
Belichick spent a lot of money and drafted a lot of players to improve a defense that allowed xx points last year. However, it’s questionable if he done enough to assemble a championship-caliber squad at this time.
On the one hand, the first seven pieces are better than they were in 2020. Collins’ acquisition would certainly make the Patriots more dangerous up front, but the defense’s top status will need the return of another big-name player.
The future of Stephon Gilmore in Foxborough is in jeopardy. After Week 6, he is eligible to return off the physically unable to perform list, but it is unclear if he will play again in a Patriots jersey. If the All-Pro cornerback wants to get paid this summer, he’ll have to show he’s healthy, so maybe that will persuade him to play a few more games for Belichick.
To really shut down quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, New England needs a healthy, motivated version of Gilmore. So, even if Jamie Collins reclaims his peak form in his third season with the Patriots, this squad will be unable to represent the AFC in Super Bowl 56 without the return of another familiar face to the starting lineup.
Pro Football Reference provided all statistics.
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