Alan Truex: Harrison fills Patriot needs, makes them Super Bowl favorites
Pro football’s postseason tournament begins this weekend with no truly dynamic team and one, the eternally cursed Buffalo Bills, that slipped through the back door by beating the Miami Dolphins twice in the final three weeks of the schedule.
Week 17 brought surprises: Seattle shut out of the postseason for the first time in six years, and the Baltimore Ravens missing because they couldn’t win a home game against one of the most moribund teams, the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Philadelphia Eagles continue to win unconvincingly with Nick Foles standing in at quarterback for would-be MVP Carson Wentz. Philly drew a first-round bye, along with Minnesota, Pittsburgh and defending Super Bowl champion New England.
The Patriots are the Vegas favorites, though hardly overwhelming, at 2/1. They’re not as good as they were last year, when they had their No. 1 receiver, Julian Edelman, and their Pro Bowl middle linebacker, Dont’a Hightower.
But Bill Belichick is doing what he usually does, piecing together a Super Bowl team by making use of players who were underused and discarded by other organizations. His latest reclamation project: 39-year-old linebacker James Harrison.
Last season Harrison started for the Steelers as their rush linebacker. But he knew that wasn’t going to be his role this year when they drafted J.J. Watt’s brother in the first round.
To nobody’s surprise, T.J. Watt turned out to be almost as relentless a pass-rusher as J.J., three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. So it was clear to Harrison that there was no future for him in Pittsburgh, only a glorious past.
But Harrison knew he could still play. And Belichick knew he could provide more pass rush than any healthy linebacker the Patriots had at the moment.
Harrison asked the Steelers to release him, which they did. Harrison on his way out of town apparently burned down some bridges at the Three Rivers.
Cynical reporters accused Belichick of signing Harrison only for the purpose of de-briefing him on the secrets of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, perhaps a trick play or two they’ve been working on.
In his uniquely dour way, Belichick insisted he hired Harrison to face the New York Jets, and that’s all he was thinking about.
Then he turned Harrison loose. In his first game as a Patriot, Harrison played about half the defensive snaps, had about as perfect a stat line as someone of his position can muster: 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 hits, 1 tackle-for-loss, 1 forced fumble.
He wasn’t just a pass-rusher. He set the edge to push running plays inside, and he dropped into coverage, maneuvers that had not been performed so well by his predecessors. Belichick was impressed that in four days he had absorbed the versatility of Matt Patricia’s defense: “He worked really hard to get things down and to handle the roles he was in.”
Harrison is helping the Patriots where they need help the most. They’re 20th in run defense, allowing 4.7 yards per attempt, though the heaviest damage was inflicted early in the season. They’re a solid eighth in defensive sacks, but Harrison could make them top-5.
Harrison adds plenty to the storyline of the Patriots and Steelers playing for the AFC Championship on Jan. 21 at Foxborough, where they dueled a year ago.
These two trophy-laden teams played so evenly last month, with the absence of the sport’s greatest receiver, Antonio Brown, a decisive element. He was helped off the field with a torn calf muscle.
Brown probably will be healthy enough to play in the divisional playoff round, but it’s unrealistic to expect top speed.
And so it goes, injury ripping apart every team, or at least hobbling it, leaving Super Bowl contenders that are not as compelling as the Patriots and Atlanta Falcons were last year.
The Philadelphia Eagles, the NFC’s No. 1 seed, had the aura of superteam. But that was before they lost their MVP front-runner. It’s not the same offense with Nick Foles running it, unable to move the ball on New York, Oakland, Dallas.
Steve Beuerlein, on NFL Monday QB said: “These last couple of weeks have been very concerning. I think the Eagles no longer can feel like they’re in a position to really challenge for the championship.”
The NFC No. 2, the Vikings, are admired for their grit and consistency, winner of 10 of their past 11 games. They’re thriving under the steadying direction of third-string quarterback Case Keenum, who’d been waived through the entire league.
Keenum has just enough arm to make long gains when receivers Stephon Diggs and Adam Thielen outfight defenders for the ball and run like hell after the catch. Still, you have to wonder how long this Cinderella story goes on.
Suddenly Atlanta looks legitimate again, shaking off Super Bowl Hangover. Matt Ryan, 2016 MVP, was being dragged down by receivers dropping his passes or tipping them into the hands of defensive backs. He and his receivers stalled in the Steve Sarkisian offense after they smashed records working with Kyle Shanahan.
To be fair, Sarkisian received too much blame. The Falcons were in for severe regression anyway, with NFL defensive coaches spending the off-season viewing film and devising ways to disrupt their well synchronized offense.
At any rate, the Falcons are improving at last, Ryan looking very MVP, playing with confidence, making prudent decisions and big plays when needed. He was by far the best quarterback on the field last Sunday when the Carolina Panthers, led by 2015 MVP Cam Newton, visited Atlanta.
Ryan gracefully eluded a fierce Carolina rush while completing 28 passes with no interceptions and one sacking. Atlanta won 22-10, limiting the Panthers to 248 yards total offense. Keanu Neal, the Falcons’ second-year strong-safety, emerged as a star, shut down Newton’s favorite target. Tight end Greg Olsen caught only one of nine balls thrown at him.
The Falcons are 6½-point underdogs Saturday against the LA Rams on the coast. Both teams have plenty of firepower, but the Falcons are peaking on time, while the Rams may not be ready for the moment. Jared Goff is talented – as good as Ryan was in his second season, not as good as he is now.
Sean McVay may regret easing his foot off the pedal, resting Todd Gurley and dashing his MVP bid. Momentum is important in football, and the Patriots, Falcons and Vikings have it.
The Patriots and Vikings somehow have both momentum and consistency, which are contradictory terms. They’re loaded with intangibles and they’re uber-coached, my worthless postseason picks for the Super Bowl.