Bill Belichick and Sean Payton both being winless through two games has never happened. In fact, this is Belichick’s nadir since 2001, when Tom Brady was just a twinkle in his eye. Both coaches are masters of their domain and intense perfectionists. Unfortunately, their respective teams would only be among the league’s best this season if the games were 30 minutes long. Payton’s rep — an offensive guru who won a Super Bowl and manufactured top-10 offenses as efficiently as anyone not named Andy Reid — is still intact. Belichick is arguably the greatest defensive mind in history and the league’s preeminent coach after winning six Super Bowls with Brady executing the Pats’ offenses. This year, between the two of them exists one combined elite team. For the Patriots, naptime is the first half. In Denver’s case, they nod off after halftime. In the first half, Denver is the league’s fifth-highest-scoring offense. In the second half, they’re 26th. Conversely, the Patriots are 27th in scoring defense in first halves, and a top-10 unit in points allowed when the second half rolls around. Once again, the Broncos’ record in games decided by one possession is abysmal, but there are reasons for blind optimism. Russell Wilson’s Hail Mary wouldn’t have been necessary if the Broncos offense could remain alert for the second half. Once the shock value wears off, teams seem to acclimate quickly to Payton’s game plan. Wilson used to be a crunch-time quarterback. Not only is he a more sluggish runner but he resembles DangerRuss in the first 30 minutes and a sundowning quarterback after the break. He’ll give you all he’s got, but after the sun begins setting, he turns into your gramps when he explains that “He don’t have the energy he used to.” Here are Russ’ splits in the first half vs. this season. In first halves, DangerRuss has been grilling up defenses to the tune of 279 yards while completing 85 percent of his attempts, throwing four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. In the second half, he’s cooked. His completion percentage dips 30 points, his touchdown-to-interception ratio is one-to-one, and his second-half passer rating is 80 points lower. Wilson’s second-half rating is buoyed by a lucky tipped Hail Mary in the endzone on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Patriots have been deadeye assassins with their halftime adjustments. Belichick’s Pats are 0-2 for the first time in 22 years, but for two consecutive weeks, they’ve cut off the power to a pair of the NFL’s most exhilarating, livewire offenses after halftime. The problem has been burying themselves in these holes to begin with. In Week 1, the Patriots emerged from halftime trailing 16-0. In the second half, New England forced several turnovers, kept Philadelphia out of the endzone, and rallied to cut the score to four, but their final drive stalled at the Eagles 20. In their Sunday Night Football clash with the Miami Dolphins, the Patriots did it again. Miami led 17-3 as Tua Tagovailoa was dotting up their secondary. Tagovailoa minced Belichick’s defense through the first half, but after the intermission, the Dark Lord of Football proved he’s still got it. Miami wasn’t in the clear until lineman Cole Strange was ruled down inches short of the first on fourth down with a minute remaining. Last year, my colleague/Agree to Disagree traffic cone Eric Blum and I had this novel, but completely unrealistic idea that the NFL should experiment with teams hiring two head coaches, sequester them completely from one another, and have one randomly coach the first half and completely change the tenor, or the second half of games. If there were ever two coaches who’d be the ideal social experiment to execute this, it would be these two maniacs. Payton fancies himself a jump-scare coach who has a tendency to jump on opposing teams with onside kicks and wonky calls before they even know what hit ‘em. He also knows They’re also both acolytes of Bill Parcells. When Belichick’s 2nd Half Pats and Payton’s First Half Broncos meet on Christmas Day, there’s no telling how that chemical reaction will mix, but if this trend continues, they should consider a joint coaching merger. In the meantime, Payton is onto something with the Broncos if he can configure Wilson’s pilot light to remain on for 60 minutes instead of the 30 minutes he’s currently assigned. Belichick’s teams have been playing possum for first halves and respawning in the second half with renewed vigor. These two teams aren’t completely inept, short of Voltroning these two coaching staffs, and teams, they need to assess what’s causing them to vanish for entire halves before this season gets out of hand. Follow DJ Dunson on X: @ cerebralsportex Relatedfree betting calculatorsparlay odds payout calculatormoneyline odds calculatorhalf points in online bettinghalf kelly calculatorhow to hedge a bet calculatorlook ahead lineswhat is over/under in bettingsports betting parlaysbetting on round robinev bettinghow to hedge in sports betting
Related Posts
Eden Hazard suffered fresh injury woe as the Real Madrid winger hobbled out of Saturday’s game against Deportivo Alaves.
The Belgium international has been blighted by ankle and leg problems since joining Zinedine Zidane s Spanish giants from Chelsea 18 months ago.
It was not immediately clear what his latest problem was, with Hazard able to walk off the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium pitch, albeit in obvious discomfort, to be replaced by Rodrygo after 28 minutes of the game.
Hazard had gone down in the Alaves penalty area moments earlier, although it was ruled that no foul was committed.
He was seen to grimace, stooping over after getting back to his feet and appearing to be in pain.
It was just Hazard s third LaLiga appearance o…
Valencia and Newcastle are among clubs showing interest in Nice midfielder Albert Rafetraniaina, .
The Spanish giants were the first high-profile side to be alerted of the 17-year-old footballer and they are closely monitoring his performances with a view of luring him to Mestalla in the future.
According to L Equipe, Newcastle have recently joined the race as the St James Park outfit remain attentive of the French market.
The talented footballer was born in Madagascar but he has spent his entire career up to date in Nice and he has a French passport.
While making 19 appearances for the reserve side last term, Rafetraniaina was also handed a first team debut in October 2012.
He has made three substitute appearances in Ligue 1 this season and is p…
AC Milan striker Carlos Bacca is considering his options amid reported interest from West Ham, according to the player s agent.
The Serie A outfit are already thought to have turned down one bid from West Ham for the Colombia international, who scored 20 goals in all competitions during the 2015-16 season.
The Hammers are said to be ready to make an improved offer for Bacca in the coming days, and agent Sergio Barila insists nothing is off the table.
I m waiting, nothing is decided, he told TutoMercatoWeb.com. Me and Bacca are evaluating more than one situation at the moment.
Carlos is already at a great team, but we must know the direction of Milan before making a decision about his future.
And West Ham are not the only club with designs on re…
West Ham United F.C. midfielder Joe Cole will be a free agent when the transfer window re-opens in the summer.
The former England international, 32, joined the Hammers on a free transfer from Liverpool in January 2013 and has gone on to net four goals in 37 appearances in all competitions during his second stint at Upton Park.
However, Cole gradually fell out-of-favour with manager Sam Allardyce as the 2013/14 campaign progressed, with his last start coming in the 3-0 Capital One Cup defeat to Manchester City on 21 January.
His last Premier League start was at home to West Bromwich Albion on 28 December.
A lack of first-team opportunities has led the 32-year-old midfielder to seek pastures new this summer.
I m a free agent now and I m l…
Real Madrid kept pace with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in what promises to be an enthralling La Liga title race with a 3-0 win over Villarreal on Wednesday.
Karim Benzema opened the scoring late in the first half, netting for the fourth league game in a row, before further strikes from Lucas Vazquez and Luka Modric made it a comfortable victory in the second period.
Cristiano Ronaldo left the field in stoppage time in apparent discomfort to spark injury fears on an otherwise positive evening for Madrid.
Barca s stunning loss of form in recent weeks allowed Zinedine Zidane s side to close to within one point of the summit, but the pressure was asserted back onto Madrid as the defending champions demolished Deportivo La Coruna 8-0 before kick-off at the San…
Udinese forward Antonio Di Natale said on Saturday he has put June s costly Euro 2008 penalty miss against Spain well and truly behind him.
Di Natale was one of two Italy players to miss penalties in the quarter-final shoot-out wich Spain won before going on to lift the trophy in Vienna.
But Di Natale, whose only start in the competition came in Italy s embarrassing opening 3-0 drubbing at the hands of the Netherlands, says he is not letting that affect him ahead of the new season.
I feel calm and collected. I realise I can t live off memories, obviously I look back at the good ones but like everyone I have to start from scratch again, he said.
Di Natale has been at the centre of transfer speculation during the close season with some of Italy s top t…
Marcus Rashford highlighted the importance of Manchester United s Europa League victory over Real Betis after the humiliation against Liverpool.
An unchanged United side bounced back from Sunday s Anfield rout with a 4-1 victory at Old Trafford to take command of the round of 16 tie.
Rashford opened the scoring with his 26th goal of an outstanding season, with Antony, Bruno Fernandes and Wout Weghorst on target in the second half after Ayoze Perez had equalised for the visitors.
While the win will not wipe away the pain experienced on Merseyside, it put United back on track and Rashford says there must be more to come.
It s always important to win the next fixture, it s the only way for us to bounce back and try to continue the momentum we had before th…
MKHITARYAN EDGES AHEAD ON CREATIVITY
Sanchez is slightly behind Mkhitaryan in terms of assists, however. Mkhitaryan provides an average of 0.24 assists per game, compared to 0.22 for Sanchez.
The duo are remarkably similar on touches per game Mkhitaryan taking 74.61 to Sanchez s 74.46 but there is an indication the United man may be less selfish.
On average, Mkhitaryan completes 51.47 passes per Premier League match compared to Sanchez s 48.16, while his ball retention is also significantly better.
The Armenian s passing accuracy in the Premier League stands at 83.44 per cent, well clear of Sanchez s 75.86 per cent, so perhaps he will fit Arsene Wenger s philosophy.
Wow, super happy to have received most of the votes in Armenia s top 10 athlete…
Clarence Seedorf has been appointed as head coach of LaLiga strugglers Deportivo La Coruna.
The former Ajax, Real Madrid and Netherlands midfielder has been installed, along with assistant Valerio Fiori, until the end of the season at the Riazor.
Seedorf succeeds Cristobal Parralo, who was appointed as interim boss until June when he succeeded Pepe Mel last October.
However, Friday s 5-0 hammering at the hands of Real Sociedad persuaded Deportivo to cut his tenure short after two wins in 13 LaLiga games, with the side languishing third bottom.
Benvido ao Clarence!
— RC Deportivo (@RCDeportivo)
Former AC Milan boss Seedorf had a brief spell in charge of Chinese team side Shenzhen in 2016.
He appeared in line for a surprise swi…
With the conclusion of an exciting group stage which saw both co-hosts fall by the wayside, an intriguing quarter-final line-up has emerged.
One match a day from Thursday through to Sunday will see the remaining eight teams whittled down to a final four.
First up on Thursday, Group A winners the Czech Republic take on Portugal.
Taking place in Warsaw s national stadium, Portugal will be hoping to continue the momentum gained from a hard-fought victory over the Netherlands.
Cristiano Ronaldo announced his arrival at the tournament with a fantastic display to knock out the World Cup finalists of 2010 and Portugal s hopes will again rest on his shoulders.
Standing in his way will be Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, who was back to his best against Pola…