Max Kellerman is picking the Patriots as his dark horse Super Bowl contender. Now he just has to learn who their quarterback is.
On ESPN’s “First Take” this week, Kellerman — he of “Tom Brady will fall off a cliff” infamy — made the case for why the Patriots could be one of the NFL’s surprise teams this season. His first points were solid: they were mixing in a new quarterback without a preseason; multiple defensive players opted out due to Covid; Bill Belichick is the greatest coach of all-time.
Get this man a pass to Patriots Place!
"I’m going to take a real dark horse team — like a team that no one is taking to win a Super Bowl. You want a dark horse? Try the New England Patriots on for size,” Kellerman said. “Take a team with a head coach and GM with something to prove in Bill Belichick — the GOAT with someone to prove. Tom Brady just a won Super Bowl. Think he’s going to be ready?”
Unfortunately, Kellerman quickly derailed his own argument because he kept mixing up Cam Newton with … Jameis Winston.
“Take a team that was two plays away from a 9-7 record in a year where they had a brand new quarterback opposite the of the kind of quarterback they used to have,” he said. “A guy coming off a catastrophic injury who hadn’t played in a year. A guy playing for a team whose defense lost nine guys to defections because of Covid before the season started — whose practice facilities got shut down due to Covid. Bill Belichick couldn’t prepare, and Jameis couldn’t learn because no preseason, no practice. Then Jameis Winston got Covid, and they were still two plays away from 9-7.”
Later in the segment, Kellerman mistakenly said the Patriots acquired a new tight end named “Henry Hunter,” so at least he’s an equal opportunity offender. But still: confusing Cam Newton with Jameis Winston? They’re not even close to being the same kind of quarterback. So why would he do that? Hmm ...
It’s a question worth pondering. Don’t expect the answer on “First Take” Monday.