BB and AD

[BlitzFritz]

I am not totally buying the theory that AD has underperformed and has been benched for performance. It could be partly that, but also could be that he wanted to "try new things" and "play other players that week".

If I'm not mistaken, NEP totally remade the D this year, with passrushing duties being shofted from our OLBs like AD to "rush ends" like TBC and Burgess. AD hasnt rushed anywhere near the same number of times as last year. So grading him on sack production is a mistake in my view.

I just think its possible that BB picks a game to give other players more playing time -- Butler, Chung, Wilhite, TBC, Burgess. Burgess was playing standing up for the time this year, for example. Ninkovitz got more playing time than normal in the first half too.

What do you think? could the media be whipping this up, when its just BB taking a long term eye to the season?

-- FRITZ

It might help to

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

I am not totally buying the theory that AD has underperformed and has been benched for performance. It could be partly that, but also could be that he wanted to "try new things" and "play other players that week".

If I'm not mistaken, NEP totally remade the D this year, with passrushing duties being shofted from our OLBs like AD to "rush ends" like TBC and Burgess. AD hasnt rushed anywhere near the same number of times as last year. So grading him on sack production is a mistake in my view.

I just think its possible that BB picks a game to give other players more playing time -- Butler, Chung, Wilhite, TBC, Burgess. Burgess was playing standing up for the time this year, for example. Ninkovitz got more playing time than normal in the first half too.

What do you think? could the media be whipping this up, when its just BB taking a long term eye to the season?

-- FRITZ

It might help to

Nope, not buying your "not buying it" scenerio. If he'd have been just riding the pine and chillen on the sideline, I might buy it. At least he'd have been available in a pinch. A healthy scratch was either to 1) Send him a MAJOR message, or 2) keep him from injury for trade purposes. (even possibly a #3 too - An as yet undisclosed personal issue that arose).

 

[Lockdown06]

yeah, I'm not buying the "benching to give others a chance to play" argument - BB is almost fanatical about making sure the 45 players who give him a best chance to win are on the field - if thomas wasn't out there, he wasnt one of the best 45 in BB's opinion.


Also, for your argument, if BB just wanted to give other people a chance to play, I think he would have sat Seau, the guy who signed with the team like 5 days ago, as opposed to Thomas, who is supposed to be one of our cogs at lb.

 

[Mogamedogz]

Deactivating him is much different than benching him. The fact that he didnt even let him dress is an embarassment (or should be) to Thomas.

He is the highest paid FA of the BB era... and outside of a few bright spots here and there, he has pretty much played like a turd. I love it that coach is finally laying the smack down.

 

[Synovia]

A healthy scratch was either to 1) Send him a MAJOR message,

Send a message? What are these, 5 year old kids that you need to punish?

AD was on the bench for 1 of 2 reasons:

1) They think they're more likely to win that game with someone else

2) The scheme they are running for that game doesn't fit him well.


These are professionals we're talking about.

 

[RayClay]

Send a message? What are these, 5 year old kids that you need to punish?

AD was on the bench for 1 of 2 reasons:

1) They think they're more likely to win that game with someone else

2) The scheme they are running for that game doesn't fit him well.


These are professionals we're talking about.

Ha ha, that's funny.

 

[crowell33]

Deactivating him is much different than benching him. The fact that he didnt even let him dress is an embarassment (or should be) to Thomas.

He is the highest paid FA of the BB era... and outside of a few bright spots here and there, he has pretty much played like a turd. I love it that coach is finally laying the smack down.

Nice Post. Completely agree.

 

[Captain Cliche]

According to Deon Sanders (NFL) network, Thomas was not happy with his benching and will work things out with BB.

 

[RobertWeathers]

According to Deon Sanders (NFL) network, Thomas was not happy with his benching and will work things out with BB.

BB should enlist Spiccoli and trash ADs car and blame the AFC.. That'll get him motivated...

 

[WhiZa]

Not that I want to see this happen, but could the deactivation be a message to the league that he is on the trading block? He's the highest paid defensive player on the team and is not the pro-bowl caliber LB we've seen when he was with Baltimore. Don't get me wrong, I want him on the team, but BB has been known to be thinking two step ahead of everyone else.

 

[billdog3484]

after missing the playoffs due to a tie break scenario last year, and being 3-2 this year, do you really think we are going to mess around and sit our best players to see what other players might be able to do?

your scenario is not possible

 

[BionicPatriot]

Send a message? What are these, 5 year old kids that you need to punish?

AD was on the bench for 1 of 2 reasons:

1) They think they're more likely to win that game with someone else

2) The scheme they are running for that game doesn't fit him well.


These are professionals we're talking about.

So we're going to spend a lot on a guy that doesn't suit up in certain games because he doesn't do well against them? That sucks.

Look, in two years prior to this Thomas was never a healthy scratch. Why would he not even be at the stadium to get new guys in? Why would he have to sit a whole freaking game? I don't think there's any coach in this league thats dumb enough to bench a guy they feel gives them the best chance to suceed to see what some guy can do during a game. It's just not going to happen, these games, ecspecially conference games are critical to this teams chances for a good seeding.

There's more to it than Bill just wants to see someone else play. I don't recall McGinest, Law, Brusch, etc. EVER being benched for that reason, why would he bench someone he plays a lot more than he paid those guys? You don't sit who you feel are your elite players, period.

 

[BionicPatriot]

after missing the playoffs due to a tie break scenario last year, and being 3-2 this year, do you really think we are going to mess around and sit our best players to see what other players might be able to do?

your scenario is not possible

Exactly what I just said.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

Not that I want to see this happen, but could the deactivation be a message to the league that he is on the trading block? He's the highest paid defensive player on the team and is not the pro-bowl caliber LB we've seen when he was with Baltimore. Don't get me wrong, I want him on the team, but BB has been known to be thinking two step ahead of everyone else.

As has been pointed out elsewhere, a trade can't be done. The pats have about $4M in cap space, and AD would carry a $7.3M cap hit if traded or cut his already-paid signing bonus, which is amortized against the cap through 2011. Next year, they could cut or trade him at a roughly cap-neutral cost.

 

[Reckedtrek]

BB should enlist Spiccoli and trash ADs car and blame the AFC.. That'll get him motivated...

I can fix it.... Dante's got an ultimate set of tools... I can fix it.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Not that I want to see this happen, but could the deactivation be a message to the league that he is on the trading block? He's the highest paid defensive player on the team and is not the pro-bowl caliber LB we've seen when he was with Baltimore. Don't get me wrong, I want him on the team, but BB has been known to be thinking two step ahead of everyone else.

ADT IS NOT GETTING TRADED. IT CANNOT BE DONE UNDER THE CAP.

Seriously people, stop suggesting that a Thomas trade is incoming. Unless you can find an extra $7M in cap space, it can't happen.

That said, I think that there's more going on behind the scenes than we know. I have no idea what the reason is, so I'm not going to bother speculating.

 

[Synovia]

Look, in two years prior to this Thomas was never a healthy scratch..

In two years prior to this, we've played a different base defensive scheme?

 

[BionicPatriot]

In two years prior to this, we've played a different base defensive scheme?

If you're really goin to somehow convince yourself as your lost in your huge delusion, that AD was scratched because he just didn't fit the game plan..Well I don't know what to say. The guy was playing 4-3 for us this year, and 3-4 for us before. Why would we sit him out this game? If anything, that's showing that they think he's either not good enough, or they're sending him a message.


I think people here need to give up the hope of AT even coming on or living up to what we thought he was. The fact is he hasn't done anything to earn what he's making and Bill is trying something, anything to light a fire under his ass because he damn sure can't get rid of him, he might as well use him as much as he can while he's here. If by trying to motivate him makes step up, it's a good move.

 

[Synovia]

I think people here need to give up the hope of AT even coming on or living up to what we thought he was. The fact is he hasn't done anything to earn what he's making and Bill is trying something, anything to light a fire under his ass because he damn sure can't get rid of him, he might as well use him as much as he can while he's here. If by trying to motivate him makes step up, it's a good move.

He's been the best LB we've had pretty much the entire time he's been here. He had a tough time this year, but thats not unexpected in the scheme change.


Please give me another example of a player Belichick has benched to "set an example", and no, Joey Galloway isn't one. He was benched because Edelman is a better player in the current scheme.

 

[RobertWeathers]

He's been the best LB we've had pretty much the entire time he's been here. He had a tough time this year, but thats not unexpected in the scheme change.


Please give me another example of a player Belichick has benched to "set an example", and no, Joey Galloway isn't one. He was benched because Edelman is a better player in the current scheme.

Terry Glenn