For much of the past twenty years, the New England Patriots have been the bully on the NFL block. And the 2019 season has also been very much shaping up that same way, with blowouts in nearly every game.
Like a Brobdingnagian nightmare in a world of Lilliputians, until Sunday night the Patriots had barreled through the NFL, outscoring their opponents by a jaw-dropping 250 to 61. Then they met the Baltimore Ravens on a chilly night in the city of Poe, and were knocked down for the first time since December, 2018.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t even close, as the Ravens thoroughly dismantled the Patriots in a 37-20 butt whipping. The Ravens showed they deserve serious mid-season attention, especially in an inconsistent AFC. At the forefront of this shift has been the stellar play of Lamar Jackson, who is making a legitimate case for MVP consideration.
Looking back, not many of the Patriots’ early opponents (with the exception of the Bills) have proven to be much of threat this year. Perhaps New England simply hadn’t faced much of a challenge — before they met this giant killer. If nothing else, the Ravens’ Week 9 triumph over New England sets the table for a potentially very interesting rematch come playoff time.
Meanwhile, the rest of the league, particularly the AFC, let out a collective sigh of relief with the recognition of a very mortal New England squad.
Did the Ravens possibly lay out the blueprint on how to beat Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the Pats? Only time will tell.
