Over the weekend Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry made some comments about the New England Patriots while speaking to people in London. And those comments show Landry has the correct mentality heading into the 2017 season and the Patriots and their fans should not have a problem with what Landry said.
Jarvis Landry’s Comments About New England Patriots Show Correct Mentality
Landry’s Comments and On-Field History
The two-time Pro Bowler only said that the Dolphins will sweep the Patriots in 2017. On the face of it Landry’s comments seem ludicrous. New England swept Miami last season and the Patriots have also won the AFC East title the last eight years and in 14 of the last 16 seasons. Bill Belichick’s team is also coming off of a Super Bowl win, their fifth in seven trips with Tom Brady and Belichick, and they’ve been to six straight AFC Championship games.
The only NFL team to not be swept by any divisional opponent in a single season since 2002 (current format) is New England. Every single one of the other 31 teams in the NFL have been swept at least three times by a division opponent in a single season during that time. Those statistics are according to ESPN Stats and Information.
The Dolphins went 10-6 in 2016, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The last time Miami won the division was 2008, and before that 2000. History is not on the side of the Dolphins. It’s difficult to sweep a team, especially one as talented and disciplined as the Patriots and Miami has been unable to sweep New England since Brady and Belichick got to town. There’s very little reason to think that will change this season.
Landry Should Feel the Way He Does
But, given all of that, Landry’s comments show he has a positive mindset, and he should have no problem speaking those thoughts out loud. And the Patriots and their fans should not have any issues with his comments. After telling the London crowd that the Dolphins will sweep the Patriots, Landry said the following while speaking with Sports Illustrated’s “Monday Morning Quarterback:”
“If you’re a competitor, that’s the way you should feel, and I don’t mind saying it,” Landry said. “It’s time for a change. I have all the respect in the world for the Patriots, and I respect Tom Brady tremendously. But they’re not our big brother anymore.”
Landry, and all of his Dolphins teammates should feel this way. No competitor should go into a game or match expecting to lose; they should expect to win each time they set foot on the field or court.
“It’s ridiculous. It’s a problem,” Landry said of New England’s dominance. “We cannot let that happen anymore. What I’ve seen is, when we play that game, sometimes we focus on the guys on the other side of the line instead of just focusing on us. And I want to be part of that change. I want to go into the games against New England expecting to win — that’s something we need to do.”
Landry didn’t say that the Patriots, Brady or Belichick are overrated or anything like that. He is simply letting his competitiveness show and he’s hoping that he can light a fire under his teammates before the 2017 season begins. It might only be April, but it’s never too early for a talented player, especially one who is the emotional leader, to try to set a tone for his team.
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