He didn’t play like Superman, OK? He didn’t cause any turnovers, he didn’t have any sacks and he didn’t revive an injury-plagued New England Patriots defense that has been porous all year.
What Tedy Bruschi did do was become the first player in NFL history to return to the field after suffering a stroke. Just eight months ago, Bruschi was in a hospital bed – barely able to see, unable to walk – and very uncertain of his future. On Sunday, he commanded the Patriots defense to a 21-16 come-from-behind win against the Buffalo Bills, playing in all but one defensive series. That’s more impressive than all the interceptions and sacks in the world.
Though he didn’t satisfy every fan’s sentimental wish by intercepting a pass or forcing a fumble (imagine how that would have brought the house down), Bruschi played exceptionally well in his first game of the year. He wasn’t even expected to start, yet he was on the field for almost all of the 39:20 that Buffalo controlled the ball and anchored a Patriots defense that bent but didn’t break. He amassed seven tackles and didn’t miss many others. Something tells me fans won’t miss former starting linebackers Chad Brown (who was put on the inactive list to make way for Bruschi) and Monty Beisel, whose propensity for missing tackles the past six games was becoming almost comical.
From Bruschi’s goosebump-inducing introduction – I can say with ease that I, and the majority of Patriot fans, was more excited for this game than last year’s Super Bowl – to him running out of the tunnel, to his first hit on Willis McGahee, to the final defensive stand, Bruschi looked solid.
If you had been living under a rock for the last eight months, you would never have believed he had a stroke. There was no discernable rust in Bruschi’s play, which is amazing when you consider he didn’t participate in the preseason and had only been practicing for the last 11 days.
The Patriots defense still has its problems, and Bruschi’s return didn’t prove to be the fix-all solution. Bills running back Willis McGahee gained 136 yards on 31 carries, although the Pats defense didn’t allow a rush over 14 yards, and they were without their best defensive lineman in Richard Seymour. The secondary, as if on cue, got burnt and gave up another huge play – this time a 55-yard strike to Bills receiver Eric Moulds. If only Bruschi could play safety too.
But the defense is getting better and a big reason for that is No. 54. Though the stat line shows that he had a modest seven tackles, his mere presence made the defense more effective. In the key play of the game in the fourth quarter, Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin rushed around the outside and hit Bills quarterback Kelly Holcomb, forcing a fumble that Colvin recovered. The play eventually led to a Patriots score and pulled them within two points. You want to tell me that Buffalo’s offensive line wasn’t preoccupied with blocking Bruschi the whole game that they let Colvin slip in?
More than anything, it was great to see Bruschi out there calling the plays. Don’t get me wrong, Monty Beisel is a good linebacker, but he’s someone who thrives playing alongside better players. He’s not ready to lead a defense, as he was trying to do for the Patriots the last six games. And it wasn’t exactly reassuring to watch Beisel call the plays and then get deked out of his shoes by an opposing running back.
Trading Beisel for Bruschi is like replacing a lowly private with General Patton. The Bruschi-led defense got knocked around a bit on Sunday, but it held its ground and gave the offense a chance to score late and win the game.
Those big plays that Bruschi is known for, which were absent in the Bills game, will come with time. For his first game of the season, though, he played well enough to get the job done.
The scary part is he’s just warming up.
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