Is it possible that the greatest head coach and quarterback marriage in NFL history has hit a wall? Nineteen seasons of dominance being undone by the blocking of a career accomplishment?
Is Bill Belichick holding Tom Brady back from reaching 1,000 rushing yards?
Did Belichick prevent Brady from hitting 1,000 career rushing yards on Sunday night? You be the judge.
Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports
Folks, that’s what it felt like when Bill Belichick left Tom Brady one (1) yard away from 1,000 career rushing yards. Brady has already been vocal about what the milestone would mean to him. Here’s a video of him training specifically to get that mark.
He even hyped up this potential benchmark on Instagram this week leading up to the game.
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In their 31-17 Sunday night win against the Green Bay Packers, Brady had a chance to get that 1,000th yard. He entered the game with 997 yards and had a two-yard run on a sneak with 12:44 left in the first quarter, leaving Brady at 999 yards.
The Patriots had plenty of time for the rest of the game to get Brady that elusive yard, but they didn’t.
Halfway through the third quarter, they had first-and-goal on the one-yard line. The Patriots attempted to score from one yard out on four consecutive plays, but they couldn’t. Not one of those plays was a Brady sneak. That one yard is all he would’ve needed to get over the 1,000 career rushing yard mark — something he has clearly worked hard for.
There was even another drive early in the fourth quarter when the Patriots had second-and-goal from the one, but they wound up punching it in with James White — on the second try.
Then at the end of the game, Belichick kept Brady in for three kneel downs, rather than put in backup Brian Hoyer. That caused Brady to LOSE yards.
Brady’s rushing total is now than he was a week ago, at 996 yards.
Now, we don’t have a concrete reason as to why Belichick would hamper Brady from achieving a career goal, but there’s no other real answer. The greatest dynasty we’ve seen in the modern era could be coming to an end over one single yard on the football field.
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