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Henry McKenna
AFC East Reporter
Bill Belichick has rarely compared other quarterbacks to Tom Brady.
But Belichick invoked Brady this week when discussing Josh Allen. And it set the table for a Patriots-Bills game that might change the complexion of the NFL.
Maybe things ended badly between Brady and Belichick, but the New England coach fully respects Brady’s greatness and, in turn, has rejected comparisons. But Belichick let one sneak into his Wednesday press conference in preparation for the team’s Week 17 matchup against the Bills.
Belichick was asked about Allen’s development. In year three, back in 2020, the quarterback surged to an elite level — and there was some doubt about whether his playing style was sustainable and whether he’d remain elite.
“Just kind of like Brady,” Belichick said. “Once Brady got to a certain point there in 2003, that’s pretty much the way it was the rest of his career. It wasn’t really like that in 2002. It wasn’t like that in 2001. It certainly wasn’t like that in 2000. Once he got to a certain point there about the midseason of the 2003 season and then the playoffs, from then on his level of performance and play and consistency was at the very top of the league.
“Different style of play. Once those quarterbacks, usually when they get to that point, they’re able to sustain it. Sometimes you just don’t know what the growth pattern is going to be. It doesn’t really matter where [Allen] was or where he is right now. He’s pretty good. Real good.”
Allen has recently been as good against Belichick’s defense as any quarterback. His touchdown total of 2.4 per game is the fourth-most all time among QBs against Belichick’s Patriots.
In the past six games going back to the beginning of 2021, Allen and the Bills are 4-2 against the Patriots. But Allen’s performance against New England hit a turning point in the second matchup of 2020, when he exploded for 320 passing yards and four passing…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/patriots-bills-will-have-massive-butterfly-effect-on-2024-offseason
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Publish date : 2023-12-28 18:23:54
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