TUESDAY TIDBITS: "You Can't Go Home Again"

By TJ Troup 

Myles Garrett is having one helluva season and he sure will have much more written about him if he does in fact, set a new record for sacks in a season, yet the best pass-rushing season ever is held by another Cleveland Brown. 

Len Ford had at least 21 sacks in a 12-game season in 1951, and when you consider how much less passing there was then, it makes Mr. Ford's achievement stand out even more. Read online by Sarah Barshop at ESPN that Matthew Stafford has set a new standard by throwing 27 touchdown passes without an interception. 

Myles Garrett

Ms. Barshop stated the data only goes back to 1978 since there are not complete game play-by-plays earlier? Well, Ms. Barshop, you can do research back further, and Stafford holds the all-time record since none of the early masters throwing the pigskin can compare in that category. 

My question to all of you, though, is will Stafford win the MVP this year? Who wins coach of the year this year? Though Ben Johnson has done a fine job with the Bears, my vote would go to Mike Vrabel. 

Matthew Stafford

The success of New England this year will take me back to past years of the Patriots' success on game days of November 30th. Let's start with 1980, shall we? New England lost to the Niners 21-17, and after a 6-1 start, they finished 10-6 without making the playoffs (the next year will show these two teams headed in two different directions). 

New England beat the Saints 21-20 on November 30th, 1986, in a game where they gained 2 yards rushing. The victory improved their record to 10-3, and that Patriot team lost to the eventual AFC Champion Broncos in the playoffs. 

The NFL Films highlight film for the 1997 Patriots is entitled "Meeting the Challenge" with a new coach in Pete Carroll. The Bears journeyed to Foxboro in September that year and that was my only time to see the Patriots play in the old stadium. New England easily dispatched the Bears that day. The Patriots beat the Colts on November 30th, 20-17, and again earned a play-off berth. The Patriots lost to Pittsburgh 7-6 in the divisional round as linebacker Mike Vrabel of the Steelers played rock-solid football that afternoon. 

Willie McGinest

Every chapter of the America's Game series is enjoyable to watch and the 2003 version is no exception. Listening the the Standells sing & play "Dirty Water" early in the chapter and listening to Rodney Harrison's comments was insightful, yet the leader of the defense was Willie McGinest. Had the good fortune to work with him at the NFL Network and he was a terrific storyteller. 

The Patriots beat the Colts on November 30th, 38-34, with McGinest making the key defensive play. After a 2-2 start this very strong Patriot team continued to win in the playoffs and was in attendance in Houston to watch the victory over Carolina. 

Mike Vrabel caught a touchdown pass in the game, forced a fumble and recorded two sacks! When will that ever happen again? The Steelers dominated New England on November 30th, 2008, in a year when the Patriots did not go to the playoffs, and finally on November 30th, 2014, when Green Bay knocked off the Patriots 26-21(Rodgers outdueled Brady). New England rebounded from the loss to capture another SB title, scoring two 4th quarter touchdowns in the victory over Seattle. 

Mike Vrabel

The title for today's saga comes from the famous author Thomas Wolfe, but Tommy, you got this one wrong, buddy, as Mike Vrabel has emphatically demonstrated, you can, in fact, go home again.