Belichick Breaking Down Film of the Bills Offense is the Stuff Nightmares are Made Of

Boston Globe. Getty Images.

Jordan Peterson spoke at my younger son's college a while back, about a whole range of topics. I watched the video and one of the comments he made that struck me most was the importance of facing one's fears. He said that being exposed to the thing you're afraid of is an essential part of psychotherapy. Not because exposure makes you unafraid, but because it makes you stronger. Able to face your fears in ways that avoiding them altogether never could. 

As I mention this, know that I don't have any phobias per se. My fears tend to be the typical, run-of-the-mill kind. Heights, or as I like to call them, the Law of Gravity. Hillbillies. The Babadook. Emotional intimacy. And while it's a cliche to say clowns, I watched "IT" on a transatlantic flight and not only couldn't sleep the rest of the way, ever since I've been struggling with pronouns. All of which I can studiously avoid and still live a rich, full life. 

But my greatest fear is one I have no choice but to face: The Buffalo Bills. Specifically, their offense. The one that left me scarred the day after Christmas last year:

And even worse in the Wild Card game three weeks later:

That one has haunted my every waking step through the spring, summer and fall. And watching this over and over has been my version of staring into the mirror in the dark saying "Blood Mary" three times:

I've felt as though every decision the Patriots have made since has been geared toward the singular goal of figuring out how to get past Buffalo. The reverse of what the Bills spent 20 years trying to do to them. In that "What stands in your way becomes your path," line of reasoning. 

And in a lot of areas, they have made strides defensively from that night in Buffalo when they could've put 11 cones on the field and been just as effective, and punter Matt Haack's mom never got to see her son get in the game. The Pats are 6th in points allowed, 4th in yards allowed, 5th in interceptions and takeaways, 2nd in sacks, and have allowed the 3rd lowest passer rating against. Even allowing for the fact the Bills fall somewhere between 2nd and 8th in virtually every significant offensive category, that's got to be reason for optimism. Right? 

Yeah. About that. Watching Belichick breakdown the opposition every week is my obsession. Even in the weeks where he obviously doesn't want to give anything away so he just does the whole segment on how the punt return team blocks or whatever, it's appointment television. My version of the way some guys watch step-family porn. And this week's is not encouraging:

You can just hear it in his voice and his demeanor. Not fear; just respect. Admiration, really. Like the coach who's 6-5 and a game out of the playoff race at the moment stepped aside for a minute and let the pure football wonk take the telestrator. To use my second tired cliche of the blog, he's a general on the even of battle, studying another general's tactics with reverence bordering on awe. Gabriel Davis takes a skinny post 98 yards for a score. Stefon Diggs runs an out & up with the MOFO for another. Josh Allen sees the front bunching up in the middle and checks to a quarterback sweep behind pin/pull blocking that gives him a whole side of the field to run free. Yes, it's terrifying. As are some forces of nature. But they still take your breath away. 

I'll admit what you no doubt already know. That it's my default setting to spin everything involving the Patriots as a positive. And while I stand by my prediction all year that they'd win 10 games and make the playoffs, at no point have I claimed they're capable of beating Buffalo. That, I'll need to see first. The line has the Bills giving 5.5 on the road, and I think that's right. 

But that is not me saying there's no hope, either. There is legitimate reason for optimism. Starting with the cornerbacks, where Joejuan Williams, the No. 33 who was in "coverage" on Emmanuel Sanders in that diagram, is long gone. As are a few names from that game:

Belichick this week has talked a lot about his linebacking corps. Singling out Ju'Whaun Bentley for his leadership, calling Mack Wilson one of the fastest linebackers in football, praising Raekwon McMillan for his progress as the season's gone on, and putting Mr. Kraft's money where his mouth is by extending Jahlani Tavai.

On the outside, Matthew Judon is leading the league in sacks and playing at a much higher level than he was 18 games into last season. And Deatrich Wise is living up to the coveted second contract he got. 

And at the back end, Kyle Dugger is arguably their best all around defensive player. And Devin McCourty is very much still Devin McCourty, even after 200 games:

But still, I keep going back to that Belestrator segment as a reminder of how far they have to improve to make this a game and possibly salvage a playoff spot. To take the psychology analogy full circle, it's my Immersion Therapy. Where they take someone who's afraid of snakes and have them lay down in a vat of snakes, "Fear Factor" style. In the belief that the more I dread facing the 2021-22 Bills, the more it'll be like the 2000-2019 Bills. I hope I'm right because this is no bloody way to live. How did Bills Mafia do it all those years?