The 2021 NFL regular season may have not begun well for the New England Patriots, but they aren’t in a bad direction in the AFC East, where the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets have been completely off.
Following a much-needed win last weekend against the Jets, the Patriots are getting ready for a tough challenge such as the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
The hosts have certainly made a statement at the beginning of the season, which is why this will be a huge test for New England. And especially for the defense, who’ll have to deal with Justin Herbert, who has surprisingly drawn praise from Bill Belichick this week.
Justin Herbert draws praise from Bill Belichick ahead of Chargers vs. Patriots
It’s quite unusual to hear Belichick heaping praise on other teams’ players. In fact, he has not even shared too many compliments for Tom Brady a few weeks ago despite theyhe built a dynasty together in Foxborough.
So his nice words for Justin Herbert were certainly a surprise.“He’s really good,” Belichick saidon Monday, as quoted by ProFootballTalk. “I thought he was outstanding (in college). He just really had everything you’re looking for. He’s very athletic. Good arm. A lot of poise. Played well in Oregon. Just a number of big plays. All the passes. All the throws, but extended plays, scrambles, could run the read-zone and all that.
“He’s as good a quarterback as I’ve seen come out here in quite a while, especially as it fits the pro game. I don’t think you’re going to find too many better than him. This guy is really an impressive player. I thought he was really good when we played them last year, and, luckily, we had a pretty good day, but I’m not counting on that again. I have a ton of respect for him. I think he’s going to be one of the top quarterbacks in the league for a long time to come.”
Herbert probably won’t get more flattered than this before Sunday. He mightbe constantly motivated by his own teammates and coaches, but drawing such praise from the opponents’ coach is not something that happens every day. Especially when we talk about Belichick, one of the greatest coaches of all time, the leader of a dynasty, and someone who rarely compliments other rivals.
