Julian Edelman Defines What Makes Up A Tough Football Team

On today's Pardon My Take... JULIAN EDELMAN! The longtime recurring guest of the show joined Mr. Cat and Mr. Commenter once again in studio to discuss the Patriots-Falcons game and all things NFL as Week 11 gets underway. If there is anyone who knows about toughness, it is the Super Bowl LIII MVP, which brings us to this portion of the interview: who are the toughest teams in the NFL and what defines a tough football team? The former Patriot explains:

Mr. Cat: In your estimation, who are the top three toughest teams in terms of, you know, physicality, hitting, the way that they play offense and defense? Who are the three teams that you're like, those teams are tough and they play man-on-man football? 

Julian Edelman: Right off the top of my head...

Mr. Cat: You can't say the Patriots.

Julian Edelman: Well, I mean...

Mr. Cat: They are in there, yeah.

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Julian Edelman: What defines a tough football team? This is what defines a tough football team, a physically tough football team, from what I was taught from some guy named Bill. A tough football team can run the ball, can stop the run and can cover kicks. What teams do that the best? Baltimore, Patriots, Tennessee. Those are the three teams that I think of hard, tough football teams. I'm not saying there's not other teams that are, but right off the top of my head, I'm saying, I mean, look at it. Patriots have two running backs, they probably just ran for, you know, 160. 

Julian Edelman: Lamar and that whole gang over there with Baltimore, they're running the ball. Everyone runs the ball over there. They control the game. Their defense comes up with big plays in big situations. Tennessee's doing the same thing even when they don't have King Henry. So that's what defines a tough football team to me, that's what I was always taught. Someone who could run the ball, someone that could stop the run, and someone that can cover kicks.

Mr. Cat: That part is interest to me. So, cover kicks, is part of being a tough football team? 

Julian Edelman: That's field position. 

Mr. Cat: And that's tough.

Is it fair to say that playing for Bill Belichick automatically makes you a tough football player? I feel like it is. It's always great to hear Julian Edelman's insight, especially right after a game, let alone the Patriots. This was an awesome way to start today's show and send you into the weekend.