If there's anyone who knows the mind of Bill Belichick and what it's capable of, that person is Bill Parcells. In Bill Belichick's 37 years of coaching, 15 of them were spent under the Tuna. So when Parcells speaks about the Patriots, and what Belichick is capable of doing with them, people listen.
In an interesting piece by WEEI's Chris Price, Parcells says he actually likes this year's team -- despite its flaws -- better than the one that went to the Super Bowl last season.
I do communicate with Bill sometimes during the yearusually via text, occasionally, itll be a phone call, Parcells told Price. I told him that I thought his team was a better team this year than it was last year, and I really believe that. I really think that. I know they went to the Super Bowl last year, but I believe theyre better now than they were in 2011. Football is a very unusual gamea bounce here or there can affect them, and I think thats ultimately what happened to them last year.
But this year, they are certainly one of the top contenders in the AFCtheyre a team that I dont think a lot of teams would look forward to playing late in the season and into the playoffs. You see things differently from a coaching perspective, and I think people need to realize that.
What about the secondary, you ask? Well, Parcells has his concerns, too. But he knows the failures of the Patriots pass defense aren't solely the fault of the secondary.
I think you can talk about the pass defense, but at the same time, you need to also talk about the pass rush, Parcells said. I know Bill addressed that this past season with the addition of a few guys like Chandler Jones, but I think they could use another guy coming off that edge. They could use another pressure player off the corner.
But when it comes down to it, the Patriots have Belichick, and in Parcells' eyes, there may be no better coach for the job of correcting whatever ails this already talented Patriots team.
Bill knows what the problems are, and hes better than just about anyone when it comes to identifying the problems and going about trying to fix it and adjust it, Parcells said. With the wide-open offenses, the problems with pass defense are everywhere. Its just a matter of making the adjustments and seeing who can play best late in the season, and Im confident that Bill will have them headed in the right direction.