Patriots’ first loss
Disappointment was evident in coach Bill Belichick’s words even though they registered in a whisper. In fact, the dismay with which he met the Patriots’ loss the other day was underscored precisely by his soft delivery. “We did a lot of things we need to do better [in],” he told the assembled media. It wasn’t simply that they suffered their first setback in 13 outings spanning parts of two seasons and including Super Bowl LIII. It was how they did so, never mind that they faced the highly regarded Ravens on the road. They looked sluggish and out of sorts from the get-go, and even through a spirited second-half run that briefly made the set-to competitive.
To be sure, the Ravens came prepared and all too ready to defend the M&T Bank Stadium. With the 71,157-strong crowd providing added motivation, they hit the ground running to score on each of their first three series. They were, simply put, superb, keeping the Patriots’ vaunted defense — hitherto solid in limiting opponents to an anemic 7.6 points per game — guessing with well-designed and — disguised plays that highlighted quarterback Lamar Jackson’s strengths. By the time their sixth victory of the year became history, the sophomore managed to put up on-air and on-the-ground lines of 17-of-23 for 163 yards and a touchdown and 61 yards and two touchdowns, respectively.
Considering the numbers, Jackson would have had cause to argue that he deserved the game ball in the aftermath, anyway. That said, the reflection of the Ravens’ dominance in the outcome likewise stems from end-to-end ascendancy. The Patriots struggled to produce points, with usually dependable Tom Brady harassed into a forgettable 30-of-46 endeavor that included two sacks and an interception; their first three forays resulted in punts, and they got on board only after the second quarter was a fifth gone. They fell behind early, leading to a predisposition for play calls that favored the pass, but it’s also fair to argue that they didn’t have much of a running game to turn to in any case.
If there’s any silver lining for the Patriots, it’s that they can bank on their experience to improve moving forward. They’ve been there and done that too many times to count, and Belichick is, if nothing else, a master in getting his charges to bounce back, and fast. They have Week 10 to rest and then prepare for their meeting with the Eagles. And they will more likely than not be good — make that very good — when they next trek to the field. After all, they’re the reigning champions, and there’s another winning streak to put together.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
