New England Patriots: Jon Gruden envious of the Patriot Way

One team that the New England Patriots will have to watch out in 2018 is the Oakland Raiders. Recently, their new head coach had some high praise for the Patriots.

In 2017, one of the many surprises in the NFL season was the poor showing from the Oakland Raiders. Coming into the season, many believed that they would be the main competition for the New England Patriots in the AFC.

After a strong 2016 season, which was derailed after an injury to Derek Carr just before the playoffs, the Raiders looked poised to make some noise in 2017. With the addition of Marshawn Lynch in the offseason, who came out of retirement, the Raiders looked pretty good on paper.

However, the season came and went with the Raiders missing the playoffs, as injuries once again did have an effect on them. The disappointing season for the Raiders resulted in some big changes this offseason.

After years of speculation, Jon Gruden decided to leave the Monday Night Football booth to get back into coaching. His return to Oakland pushed Jack Del Rio out the door and has sparked a lot of excitement in Oakland.

Recently Gruden had some high praise of the Patriots. Here’s what he had to say via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com

"“Oh man, I’m envious of the Patriots, I really am,” Gruden said at his 9:30 a.m. news conference. “The Patriot Way — finding players that are versatile. Finding players that can adapt on a weekly basis to win a game. They don’t care how they beat you, either. They’re not afraid to use the 60-minute clock to beat you in the final seconds. And they’re not afraid to blow you out, either. But they can morph themselves into a two-back team; they can come out with five receivers and play no-back formations. It’s just a pleasure to watch them adapt them every year — to the new rules, and to the new men on their roster and coaching staff.”"

Since Gruden was working as an analyst for ESPN, he certainly got a chance to look at the Patriots in a different way. Seeing what they have been able to accomplish and how they have accomplished it since Gruden left coaching has truly been impressive.

Now, even though Gruden respects them, he will be trying to beat them. Unlike some other teams, Gruden appears to have realized that the Patriots play hard for every minute of a game. Frequently, teams don’t try to put the Patriots away when they can, and Tom Brady is able to pull off magical feats.

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As a team with a lot of talent, Gruden will be hoping to see the Patriots in the playoffs in 2018. Unlike some other coaches and teams, Gruden appears like he will have his team ready to play for all 60 minutes against New England.