After A Year In Miami, Kyle Van Noy Returns To New England Where He Became A Standout

 

    In recent years, outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy was one of the greatest success stories for the Patriots. In October 2016, he was rescued from Detroit (along with a seventh-round draft pick in 2017) for the pittance of a sixth-round draft pick in 2017. In 3.5 seasons in New England, he became one of the best players on their defense and helped them win two Super Bowls in the process. Nobody could blame him for taking the money and hightailing it to sunny Miami last off-season but are you surprised that he's coming back here on a two-year deal worth up to $13.2 million? You shouldn't be, after he was released by the Dolphins last week, we all had a feeling that he could be returning to Foxborough even sooner than we could have imagined. 

    Strangely enough, it doesn't seem like he was a bust in his one season for Miami head coach (and former Patriots assistant) Brian Flores. Van Noy played in 14 games (13 starts) and accumulated six passes defended, he forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles and had six sacks. He made 46 solo tackles, 23 assists, with a career-high 10 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits. He'll turn 30 next week so he is in the prime of his career. So what's the catch, why were the Dolphins so ready to get rid of him after they couldn't find a suitable trade partner? It starts and end with the silly deal that they gave him (4 years, $51 million) that they probably regretted from day one not because he's a bad player but rather he's not that type of gamebreaker which you expect at that cost. 

    It was another busy day for head coach/GM Bill Belichick and the Pats on Wednesday as they agreed to a one-year, $4 million dollar deal with another ex-Patriot who spent last season with the Dolphins-center/guard Ted Karras. He could start in 2021 since this afternoon also brought the news that Patriots center David Andrews was going to become a free agent. The team also re-signed special teamer Cody Davis to a two-year deal and they used a second-round tender on cornerback JC Jackson meaning they can match any offer sheet that he signs or get back a second-round pick. 

        Andrews will be missed if he is in fact gone but the headline was obviously Van Noy deciding to come back here. Another sign that like Karras and Trent Brown, there are a few players left in the NFL that see the value of Belichick's rigid system and old school values. I'm sure that Kyle had offers from a host of other teams-most of which probably would have paid him more money-but for whatever reason he chose to return to a familiar place helped to put him on the map. It's also an added bonus that Van Noy is one of the few players for the Patriots under Belichick that had a personality and a sense of humor so in addition to his on-field impact, I look forward to more interesting interviews and soundbites from him. 

The Inevitable Is Now Official: For The First Time Since 2008, The Pats Will Not Reach The Playoffs

 

    If you've spent any of your plentiful pandemic spare time watching this sad-sack version of the Patriots (6-8 overall, 2-6 away), you knew that at some point soon this day was coming. At no point in this waste of a season (for them at least), have they consistently looked like a playoff team. Sure, they've had a few nice moments and unexpected wins along the way but as a wise man-Bill Parcells-once said, "you are what your record says you are." Indeed, that's a bit of a dated reference but probably fitting as this afternoon New England lost 22-12 to the Dolphins (9-5 overall, 5-3 home) at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. For the second straight game, the Pats failed to score a single touchdown which is about all you need to know about another pathetic offensive effort from this deeply flawed team. As a result of today's completely predictable outcome, New England won't be in the postseason for the first time since 2008 (the year that Tom Brady blew out his knee in the opener) and it is also their first non-winning campaign since way back in 2000. 

    Last week's wretched loss to the Rams (who somehow lost today to the Jets!) basically sealed the coffin shut on New England's unlikely path to the playoffs. Instead, they get two more meaningless contests to hopefully tank to get the best possible draft pick (not that I have any faith in Bill Belichick to select the right player in the first round). In a related topic, for the love of God, can he finally bench quarterback Cam Newton (17-of-27 for 209 yards; 38 yards rushing) and give Jarrett Stidham his first career NFL start? Even if he plays for free, there is no logical justification to bring Newton back next season and why is Bill so reluctant to put Stidham in any situation but a blowout? Few think he'll be the answer for the next Pats quarterback but why not throw him out there next Monday night (8:15, ESPN) against the high-flying AFC East champion (for the 1st time since 1995!) Buffalo Bills (11-3) who are suddenly one of the best teams in football?

    If you ever doubted the importance of a quality QB in the NFL, this ill-fated season by the Patriots could serve as a case study in how not to address the fallout from the best quarterback in NFL history leaving for another team. There is a reason why Newton was still available this summer: he's absolutely cooked. He simply can't throw anymore (which was never his biggest strength anyway) and like any running quarterback, the wear and tear has caught up to him so he's not the battering ram like he used to be. The only pleasant surprise with him is that it turns out he's actually a really good guy that teammates love to play with. The Pats have no choice but to use a draft pick (preferably one of their first ones) on a new quarterback while simultaneously signing an experienced veteran signal-caller (in the Ryan Fitzpatrick or Matthew Stafford mold) while serving as a bridge to the next guy. 

    The scary part about the Patriots' rebuild is that they appear nowhere close to being good again since years of awful drafts coupled with being super cheap in free agency coupled with not hitting on many trades has left them with a mediocre at best roster. With their quarterback Josh Allen a legitimate MVP candidate, the Bills are in great shape (not to mention a loaded roster) and meanwhile former Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores is building something in Miami with rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (20-of-26 for 145 yards, INT; 2 rushing TDs) showing signs that he could be a nice player at this level as the Dolphins make a push for the playoffs. The Jets' (1-13) mind-numbingly stupid victory today means that if the draft happened tomorrow, the Jaguars (1-13) would get the top pick which will be Clemson's incredible quarterback Trevor Lawrence. If New York can acquire him, they would have a better QB than New England as well, yikes.

    Today was a microcosm of this entire frustrating season for the Patriots as their best players were kicker Nick Folk (who made 4 FGs) and punter Jake Bailey who hit a 56-yard punt that was downed at the two-yard line. Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (7 catches, 111 yards on 10 targets) re-emerged, with Damien Harris (ankle) out, running back Sony Michel (10 carries, 74 yards) had fresh legs and cornerback J.C. Jackson picked off Tua at the goal-line for his eighth interception of the season. After a scoreless first quarter, Folk hit a pair of field goals in the second quarter and the Pats took a 6-0 lead into halftime. Even with their best receiver (DeVante Parker) and a good tight end (Mike Gesicki) both out with injuries, you knew that the Patriots' crappy defense could only hold down Miami for so long. Seeing cornerback Stephon Gilmore leave with a non-contact leg injury in the second quarter probably puts a cap on a bizarre and disappointing 2020 for him. You have to wonder if he'll ever play another game for the Pats after all the drama he caused this year. 

    The Dolphins running game is not known as a powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination but you wouldn't know that the way that a no-name undrafted rookie named Salvon Ahmed (23 carries, 122 yards, TD) and veteran Matt Breida (12 carries, 86 yards) both ran over the Patriots particularly in the second half. Ahmed's one-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the third quarter put the Dolphins ahead 7-6. Another 45-yard field goal by Folk gave New England their last lead at 9-7 late in the frame. Tua ran for a three-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter and added a two-point conversion pass to Ahmed which gave Miami a 15-9 lead. Folk's last field goal cut it to 15-12 Miami but Tua's one-yard touchdown run iced it late for the home team.

The 72-game NBA regular season starts on Tuesday with the Celtics opening on Wednesday as they host the Bucks then the NHL just confirmed that their 56-game regular season will start on January 13 with some different divisions (including an All-Canada one since they have strict travel restrictions during the pandemic). There won't be any Patriots playoff action but it's not like they deserved to be anywhere near that. At least we aren't some one team podunk place, this holiday season among many other way more important things (the health of my family, friends and myself), I am thankful to have the Celts and B's to get us through our first and hopefully last Covid-19 winter.

UPDATE 12/21/20: There was some good news on the Gilmore injury front as he tore a quad muscle which will require surgery but at least it wasn't a serious knee or leg injury that would take a much longer recovery period. Tonight, Gilmore, punter Jake Bailey and special teams captain Matthew Slater were all named to the Pro Bowl for the Patriots this season, their only three representatives.