It seems too early to dream, but . . . the thought is so tantalizing, it won’t leave my head.
At this moment anyway, the vision is so much more pleasant than pondering Patriots problem child Michael Bennett, the NFL’s crummy officiating, Jets savior Sam Darnold and Patriot kicker tryouts.
So let’s roll with it.
In the dream, we’re at Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium. And, we’re watching Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo.
As quarterback duels go, can’t get much better than Brady vs. Jimmy G in the Super Bowl.
Maybe outside of New England there’s no dream of Jimmy G playing the championship game. Maybe it’s Brady vs. Drew Brees or Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers. But for Patriots fans, it would be a seismic showdown, the ultimate Super Bowl fantasy come true.
It’s the GOAT vs. his original successor. It’s Brady and Jimmy G duking it out on the national stage, trying to score on two of the best defenses in the NFL for all the marbles.
Will it become reality?
While it’s still October, it’s not as outrageous as it might seem.
Six games in, the Patriots and Garoppolo’s 49ers are the only unbeaten teams left standing.
The Pats still appear to be the best of the AFC, and the competition isn’t drawing closer. While the offense has some issues, much like it did last year, the Patriots defense is in a league of its own.
The offensive line will get help with the eventual return of left tackle Isaiah Wynn, Brady should get a boost in the receiving corps in a few weeks with the return of No. 1 pick N’Keal Harry, and if he’s not enough, the Patriots will likely acquire help. As for Bennett, if he continues to lash out at coaches, he’ll be gone. He won’t disrupt what’s happening with the team or the defense.
So they’ll get to the dance, but will the Niners?
There are still some doubters, but they helped their cause with a dominant effort against the Rams Sunday afternoon en route to a 20-7 victory. They stand atop a competitive NFC West division. The Niners, however, might have a tougher road out of the NFC with more good teams in that conference including the Saints, Seahawks and Packers.
What’s interesting is that with offensive mastermind Kyle Shanahan and Garoppolo, the Niners’ success thus far has been more about the defense.
So there are parallels to the Patriots.
Currently, the Pats and Niners are 1-2 in the league in overall defense. They’re also 1-2 in pass defense, with the Niners holding the top spot. Both are in the top 10 in sacks (Pats are second, Niners are tied for ninth) and interceptions (Pats are first, Niners are tied for fourth). There is that adage about defense winning championships. The Pats and Niners are covered in that regard.
Of course, the more attractive part of the dream matchup goes back to Garoppolo and Shanahan. With Garoppolo’s contract about to expire in New England, Bill Belichick gave Jimmy G a favorable landing spot in San Francisco.
The Hoodie never wanted to deal the quarterback, but Brady was still getting the Patriots to championship games and ultimately winning Super Bowls. He wasn’t headed out to pasture like most 40-year-old quarterbacks. So Brady technically won the first battle with Garoppolo, leaving Belichick forced to trade the quarterback he initially wanted as the GOAT’s successor.
Wouldn’t it be a hoot if Belichick had to face him in the Super Bowl so quickly after dealing him?
As for Shanahan, prior to taking the head coaching job with San Francisco, he was previously the offensive coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons. He was running the show when the Patriots came back from 28-3 down to win Super Bowl LI. Shanahan has been criticized for his game plan and play-calling during the final five minutes of that game, throwing the ball instead of running it. That led to mistakes and the Patriots’ miracle comeback.
In the aftermath, Shanahan has said he’d do things differently if given another chance, telling reporters he’ll never stop second-guessing himself for what happened late in the Super Bowl.
“I’ll go back through every play for the rest of my life,” Shanahan said a couple of days after he was hired as the 49ers coach in February. So he’d obviously like to get another crack at Belichick and the Patriots.
Garoppolo, meanwhile, has returned this season after missing most of last year with a torn ACL. He had a bit of a rough stretch early in the preseason, but seems to have settled in.
He’s 11-2 as a starter running Shanahan’s offense. This season, he’s thrown seven touchdown passes with five picks and been more of a game manager, attempting less than 30 throws per game. Shanahan has utilized a balanced attack with running back Matt Breida taking some of the load off his quarterback.
Brady, meanwhile, has had to shoulder a larger load given issues with the offensive line, tight ends struggling in the blocking end, and injuries to two fullbacks.
When it gets to the Super Bowl, though, all bets are off. It just might come down to the quarterbacks with Jimmy G standing in the way of Brady and the team getting championship No. 7, the one that would put Patriots above the rest.
Yeah, it’s too early to dream, but it beats thinking about the 1-4 Jets.
