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Since 2004, virtually every playoff game has been billed as a David vs. the Patriots contest. It’s been super annoying, especially since in many cases the Patriots are the underdog, or the contest is virtually even, while the Patriots opponents are pulling the disrespect card and chipping off all week. Last year’s Super Bowl was super annoying, as the Eagles played the gritty underdog card for two weeks despite being slight underdogs at Vegas and having a huge public backing (roughly 50% of people liked them straight up.). In 2011, the Giants talked for two weeks about being such slighted underdogs, even though they were merely 2-point underdogs and also had an overwhelming amount (more than 50%) of people taking them straight up. Heck, they were a pick ‘em in 2015 at Denver, with half their lineup decimated, and a loss earlier that year in Denver, yet the Broncos still managed to play the angry underrated card all week, while the Patriots seemingly just accepted the narrative.
I think Brady is tired of other teams controlling the narrative, and this is a conscious effort to try to get the team fired up and take the pressure off of them. Though we know he’s milking it for all it’s worth, it’s because he’s sick and tired of hearing about how the Patriots are expected to win and the other team is so outmanned and out coached (the reality is most of the conference championship games and Super Bowls are always predicted to be close games nowadays.)
So whether not this will actually help, the Patriots are pre-proclaiming themselves as the underdogs, with their motto “bet against us.” Whatever it is that helps the team perform and focus, I’ll take it, and no one knows that locker room like TB12.
I think Brady is tired of other teams controlling the narrative, and this is a conscious effort to try to get the team fired up and take the pressure off of them. Though we know he’s milking it for all it’s worth, it’s because he’s sick and tired of hearing about how the Patriots are expected to win and the other team is so outmanned and out coached (the reality is most of the conference championship games and Super Bowls are always predicted to be close games nowadays.)
So whether not this will actually help, the Patriots are pre-proclaiming themselves as the underdogs, with their motto “bet against us.” Whatever it is that helps the team perform and focus, I’ll take it, and no one knows that locker room like TB12.