Aqib Talib is ready to ‘grind on’ Patriots

The New England Patriots take on the Denver Broncos in one of the most anticipated matchups of Week 15. It’s a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship and a potential playoff preview, provided the Broncos fight their way back into the wild card picture. The Patriots can clinch the AFC East with a win and currently hold the No. 1 seed. There are a lot of stakes in this game with playoff implications on the line.

For Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib, those stakes are more personal.

Talib’s history with the Patriots started in the 2012 season. A first-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008, Talib had multiple legal issues during his time in Tampa. After getting handed a four-game PED suspension, the Bucs finally washed their hands and traded Talib to the Patriots in the middle of the season.

He signed a one-year deal to return to New England in 2013 and had a star performance, recording four interceptions in 13 games while being named to his first Pro Bowl team. He helped get the Patriots to the AFC Championship that year, where they ultimately fell to his future team, the Broncos.

Despite the loss, Talib’s career was revitalized and he became another shining example of the Patriots turning other teams’ trash into their own treasure.

The Patriots let him walk in free agency and he cashed in on his career year, signing a six-year deal with the Broncos worth up to $57 million with $26 million guaranteed. Talib has since teamed up with Chris Harris Jr. to form one of the league’s most dangerous CB duos who helped the team win the Super Bowl in the 2015 season.

To reach the Super Bowl, Talib had to square off with the Patriots in the AFC Championship. He played a critical role late in that game, tipping a Tom Brady pass on a two-point conversion that got picked off. The Broncos held on for the 20-18 win, and Talib won his first championship ring two weeks later.

Now the two teams meet up again, this time in the regular season, and Talib hasn’t forgotten about his old team.

For his part, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has nothing but nice words to say about Talib.

Talib’s had a successful but controversial career, with multiple fines for late hits and unsportsmanlike conduct. His most recent incident occurred last week when Talib went after Tennessee Titans receiver Harry Douglas in retaliation for a cheap shot on Harris. He managed to avoid a fine from the fracas, but Talib left no doubt as to what he thinks about Douglas.

Talib has many detractors, but there’s never a dull moment with the 30-year-old. The game also has an added sense of urgency with the defending champion Broncos sitting behind the Miami Dolphins for the No. 6 seed. Look for Talib to create some more fireworks (for better or worse) when he takes on Belichick, Brady, and company once again.