FOXBORO — You wouldn’t think Chad Ochocinco would be Bill Belichick’s cup of tea. He’s loud, brash, flamboyant and outrageous.
Those characteristics aren’t exactly what you see under the hoodie of thePatriots [team stats] coach each week. Nor is it the style Belichick expects his players to have.
But Ochocinco and Belichick have had an odd bond and a mutual respect since hooking up at the Pro Bowl several years ago. The coach might not like the outlandish behavior, but he likes the player. Always has.
And now that Ochocinco is a Patriot, something tells me a lot of the garbage will disappear. He will be more interested in Tom Brady [stats] and the Patriots offense than conjuring up circus-like touchdown celebrations. That’s what leaving Cincinnati for Foxboro will do to you.
But what about his game? Isn’t that the biggest issue here?
At age 33, can Ochocinco still make a difference?
Well, for much of the offseason, we’ve debated the Patriots’ need for speed from an outside receiver. Although the departure of Randy Moss didn’t hurt the Pats during the regular season, the presence of an outside threat may have helped them in the playoff loss to the Jets, who successfully clogged all the short and intermediate routes the slot receivers and tight ends ran in the middle of the field.
At this stage of his career, Ochocinco no longer has the game-breaking ability to draw a safety over the top in coverage. He’s no longer what you consider a burner. But while he might not have that gear anymore, he might just have enough to stretch the field and make the safeties, at the very least, play honestly.
At 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, he also gives the Pats receiving corps some of the size it lost when Moss was traded to the Minnesota Vikings last October.
Since Ochocinco restructured his deal to come here and the Patriots only surrendered two late-round draft picks to acquire him from the Bengals, it’s hard to find much fault with last night’s trade. The Pats assume little risk and have a very good shot at reward.
Brady now will have three top-flight wide receivers at his disposal in Ochocinco, Wes Welker and Deion Branch to go along with young and emerging tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski.
Last season, playing in 14 games for a woeful Bengals team, Ochocinco still managed 67 catches for 831 yards and four touchdowns. During his 10-year career — all with Cincinnati — he’s eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark seven times and has averaged 14.4 yards per reception.
A few months ago, ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer talked about whether it was necessary for the Pats to go out and acquire a stud speed receiver in order for their offense to get over the playoff hump.
“It’s become a cliche statement, that you need this alpha-dog, big-play receiver. It’s not necessarily true,” Dilfer said. “At one time a few years ago, I’d say it was true. To have a dynamic offense, you had to have a big, physical, take-the-top-off-the-defense receiver. Because of the rule changes, the width that the field is being stretched, and with the lack of physicality, you just don’t need it to the extent you used to if you have the right type of offense, especially a pass-first type of offense.”
That said, Dilfer believed there were receivers out there who would make the Pats offense even more dynamic. He thought Ochocinco would be a perfect fit.
“If you could go get a dynamic, veteran receiver — and Chad still is — at a bargain — and I emphasize bargain — and they want to be a part of the Patriot Way, that could only help,” Dilfer said.
No comments:
Post a Comment