Mike Lombardi for the Ringer:
“Belichick’s first quarter will be all about building a lead and learning Atlanta’s plan. Taking away Julio Jones, eliminating the big play, setting the edge, creating the lead early, stopping the run — those are not independent thoughts. Belichick ties them together and makes them work together. If football were as simple as “taking away what the opponent does best,” then we wouldn’t be constantly bemoaning the lack of quality NFL coaching. Bill Belichick has lasted this long because he knows football is more complicated than that.”
I love listening to Mike Lombardi and reading him. He spent time working with Bill Belichick in Cleveland with the Browns and in New England with the Patriots. He seems to be very knowledgeable and Belichick himself said that Lombardi is one of the smartest football guys. I’ll be looking for this gameplan on Sunday to see if he was right, and to see if the Patriots will be able to execute the gameplan.