Patriots only good in second halves, while Broncos only good in first two quarters

Bill Belichick and Sean Payton each being winless through two games has never happened. Actually, that is Belichick’s nadir since 2001, when Tom Brady was only a twinkle in his eye. Each coaches are masters of their domain and intense perfectionists. Unfortunately, their respective teams would only be among the many league’s best this season if the games were half-hour long.

Payton’s rep — an offensive guru who won a Super Bowl and manufactured top-10 offenses as efficiently as anyone not named Andy Reid — remains to be intact. Belichick is arguably the best defensive mind in history and the league’s preeminent coach after winning six Super Bowls with Brady executing the Pats’ offenses.

This 12 months, between the two of them exists one combined elite team. For the Patriots, naptime is the first half. In Denver’s case, they nod off after halftime. Within the first half, Denver is the league’s fifth-highest-scoring offense. Within the second half, they’re twenty sixth. Conversely, the Patriots are twenty seventh in scoring defense in first halves, and a top-10 unit in points allowed when the second half rolls around.

Once more, the Broncos’ record in games decided by one possession is abysmal, but there are reasons for blind optimism. Russell Wilson’s Hail Mary wouldn’t have been essential if the Broncos offense could remain alert for the second half. Once the shock value wears off, teams appear to acclimate quickly to Payton’s game plan.

Wilson was once a crunch-time quarterback. Not only is he a more sluggish runner but he resembles DangerRuss in the first half-hour and a sundowning quarterback after the break. He’ll offer you all he’s got, but after the sun begins setting, he turns into your gramps when he explains that “He don’t have the energy he used to.”

Listed below are Russ’ splits in the first half vs. the second half this season.

In first halves, DangerRuss has been grilling up defenses to the tune of 279 yards while completing 85 percent of his attempts, throwing 4 touchdowns, and nil interceptions. Within the second half, he’s cooked. His completion percentage dips 30 points, his touchdown-to-interception ratio is one-to-one, and his second-half passer rating is 80 points lower. Wilson’s second-half rating is buoyed by a lucky tipped Hail Mary in the endzone on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Patriots have been deadeye assassins with their halftime adjustments. Belichick’s Pats are 0-2 for the first time in 22 years, but for two consecutive weeks, they’ve cut off the ability to a pair of the NFL’s most exhilarating, livewire offenses after halftime. The issue has been burying themselves in these holes to start with.

In Week 1, the Patriots emerged from halftime trailing 16-0. Within the second half, Recent England forced several turnovers, kept Philadelphia out of the endzone, and rallied to chop the rating to 4, but their final drive stalled on the Eagles 20.

Of their Sunday Night Football clash with the Miami Dolphins, the Patriots did it again. Miami led 17-3 as Tua Tagovailoa was dotting up their secondary. Tagovailoa minced Belichick’s defense through the first half, but after the intermission, the Dark Lord of Football proved he’s still got it. Miami wasn’t in the clear until lineman Cole Strange was ruled down inches in need of the first on fourth down with a minute remaining.

Last 12 months, my colleague/Comply with Disagree traffic cone Eric Blum and I had this novel, but completely unrealistic concept that the NFL should experiment with teams hiring two head coaches, sequester them completely from each other, and have one randomly coach the first half and completely change the tenor, or the second half of games. If there have been ever two coaches who’d be the best social experiment to execute this, it might be these two maniacs. Payton fancies himself a jump-scare coach who has a bent to leap on opposing teams with onside kicks and wonky calls before they even know what hit ‘em. He also knows

They’re also each acolytes of Bill Parcells. When Belichick’s 2nd Half Pats and Payton’s First Half Broncos meet on Christmas Day, there’s no telling how that chemical response will mix, but when this trend continues, they need to consider a joint coaching merger. Within the meantime, Payton is onto something with the Broncos if he can configure Wilson’s pilot light to stay on for 60 minutes as a substitute of the half-hour he’s currently assigned. Belichick’s teams have been playing possum for first halves and respawning in the second half with renewed vigor. These two teams aren’t completely inept, in need of Voltroning these two coaching staffs, and teams, they should assess what’s causing them to fade for entire halves before this season gets out of hand.

Follow DJ Dunson on X: @cerebralsportex