It’s back to business as usual for the Patriots after being observers during Wild Card Weekend. It wasn’t just Saturday and Sunday the players had away from the weekly grind, as there were additional days during the week the players didn’t have meetings or practice.
It was beneficial as many of the little aches and pains had time to heal and the fatigue that goes with playing 16 games was relieved a little.
Of anybody, the rookies might benefit the most from the time off. For those getting regular playing time, they’ve already played beyond a college football season that goes eleven to 13 games. It’s possible they could had hit the mythical Rookie Wall.
As we know, the Wall is the point when a rookie runs out of gas during his first pro season because they are not conditioned for 16 games. The symptoms are a drop in play and focus.
And with the contributions from several rookies this year, the Wall poses a significant threat to overall team play.
Based on initial observations though, it seems the rooks ain’t sufferin’ from the Wall. CB Devin McCourty’s play improved throughout the season. ILB Brandon Spikes was still sharp until his four game suspension. As TE Rob Gronkowski’s involvement with the passing game increased, so did his production. And punter Zoltan Mesko’s consistency improved.
But maybe a few of the young pups are showing signs of hitting the Wall. TE Aaron Hernandez caught just eleven passes from week 10 to the end of the season. In particular, he was held out of the final two games of the season. DE Brandon Deaderick lost focus on the routine day-to-day preparations and earned a suspension from the team. And when was the last time we heard OLB Jermaine Cunningham’s name?
Whether any of these conclusions have any validity, the time off will only help the rookies find a second wind. The veterans are warning the kids that playoff intensity is much higher from the regular season. They have to figure out how to raise their game for the Divisionals.
Having a bye week before returning to action can help. It’s like hitting the reset button in anticipation for the playoffs. It took a lot of concentration for the rooks to get to this point of the season. Taking a physical and mental load off briefly allows them to clear the memory banks and refocus on the playoff opponents one game at a time.
A new season starts for the Patriots on Sunday and the stakes are much higher. The rookies should feel refreshed after some beneficial time off.
Question? Comments? Send to talktome@randolphc.com.
