Questioning some assumptions

[BTTA]

1. The defense is young. Four of the first five defensive linemen are seasoned vets. Two of the first four linebackers are seasoned vets. Five of the first seven DB's are seasoned vets. Of the 18 players getting significant playing time, three are rookies and three are second year players . Is this "young?"

2. Moss is an elite receiver. A quick scan of other team rosters puts a dent in that assumption, if actual performance is used as the measure. Two years ago, TV announcers were calling him the best in the league.

3. Brady is one of the two best QB's in the league. Again, not by performance. And if his reputation for winning in the clutch was to be formed this year, he'd be seen as someone who fades when the game is on the line.

4. BB is an elite head coach. Could it be that time has passed him by, if younger, more aggressive and innovative coaches has caught him, with some now consistently doing a superior job?

5. The Pats manage personnel (draft, FA, trades, veteran negotiations, and cap space) better than most teams.

Is this what it looks like at the "end of a run?"

 

[Mogamedogz]

Good posting... but buckle your chin strap.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

I disagree on on a few but think I have a new one that can be discussed:

(6) BB/Pats are among the best in making half-time adjustments. This used to be the case up and until 2004 but not so especially during the last three seasons.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I think in 07 the offense helped the defense by getting up early, and playing with a lead.. This year the offense has to be forced to make plays and if they dont the defense cant make any either ...

 

[FalconHeavy]

I disagree on on a few but think I have a new one that can be discussed:

(6) BB/Pats are among the best in making half-time adjustments. This used to be the case up and until 2004 but not so especially during the last three seasons.

This is one of the things I had tough time figuring out. For better or worse, all our opponents are able to do this and run the table in the second half. Assuming BB gives complete control for the OC & DC to do their jobs, all the success we had in the past was due to Romeo & Charlie ??

 

[The Dynasty]

1. The defense is young. Four of the first five defensive linemen are seasoned vets. Two of the first four linebackers are seasoned vets. Five of the first seven DB's are seasoned vets. Of the 18 players getting significant playing time, three are rookies and three are second year players . Is this "young?"

2. Moss is an elite receiver. A quick scan of other team rosters puts a dent in that assumption, if actual performance is used as the measure. Two years ago, TV announcers were calling him the best in the league.

3. Brady is one of the two best QB's in the league. Again, not by performance. And if his reputation for winning in the clutch was to be formed this year, he'd be seen as someone who fades when the game is on the line.

4. BB is an elite head coach. Could it be that time has passed him by, if younger, more aggressive and innovative coaches has caught him, with some now consistently doing a superior job?

5. The Pats manage personnel (draft, FA, trades, veteran negotiations, and cap space) better than most teams.

Is this what it looks like at the "end of a run?"

1. Of course our defense is young and inexperienced. I think your calculations of young players is off. Brace. Pryor, Guyton, Mayo, Butler, Wheatley, Wilhite, and Chung are either rookies or in their second year. Others such as
McGowan havent played that much in their career like they are this year. Yes, I would classify our defense as young.

2. I think Moss is aging and is not the best in the league anymore, but he is still easily in the top 10 and can make big plays down the field that no one else on this team can.

3. Brady is still in the top 5 QB's in the league. Brees, Manning and Favre (with the exception of last night) are having unbelievable seasons. I'd still want Tom Brady as the QB of my team any day of the week.

4. BB is the best coach in the NFL, I dare anyone to name someone who has done more of a consistent job than BB. And saying that he isnt aggressive is a bit off...look at all the criticism he has got for going for it on these 4th downs. He definitely is agressive.

5. Has this year been an off year in terms of play from our FA's, yes it has. It hasnt been like its been a consistent thing. Drafting wise look at our team Meriweather, Chung, Butler, Mayo, Guyton, Vollmer, and Edleman have all been drafted by the Pats and have been impact players for this team in their first 2 years. Our ability to find that star caliber player in the late rounds in the draft still cannot be said with many other teams in the NFL.

 

[Rob0729]

I disagree on on a few but think I have a new one that can be discussed:

(6) BB/Pats are among the best in making half-time adjustments. This used to be the case up and until 2004 but not so especially during the last three seasons.

Halftime adjustments is the most overrated thing ever since they don't really exist. You talk to any player and there are very few halftime adjustments. Adjustments are made in every series. Christian Fauria addressed this on WEEI last weekend and said there is no time for halftime adjustments.

Also, the Pats have made great some adjustments over the years since 2004. People want to attribute lack of Super Bowls to lack of adjustments and poor coaching. It just isn't the case. You can make the case for this year that the adjustments haven't been great, but not in previous years. I don't think there is any statistical evidence that shows that other than this year that the Pats offense or defense deteriorated over the course of the game on a regular basis.

 

[Bella*chick]

Name me one head coach who is CONSISTENTLY doing a better job than BB. Most head coaches haven't even been doing their jobs long enough.

 

[mayoclinic]

Name me one head coach who is CONSISTENTLY doing a better job than BB. Most head coaches haven't even been doing their jobs long enough.

Over the past 10 years? 0.

This year:

- Sean Payton
- Josh McDaniels
- Jim Caldwell

 

[Rob0729]

1. The defense is young. Four of the first five defensive linemen are seasoned vets. Two of the first four linebackers are seasoned vets. Five of the first seven DB's are seasoned vets. Of the 18 players getting significant playing time, three are rookies and three are second year players . Is this "young?"

2. Moss is an elite receiver. A quick scan of other team rosters puts a dent in that assumption, if actual performance is used as the measure. Two years ago, TV announcers were calling him the best in the league.

3. Brady is one of the two best QB's in the league. Again, not by performance. And if his reputation for winning in the clutch was to be formed this year, he'd be seen as someone who fades when the game is on the line.

4. BB is an elite head coach. Could it be that time has passed him by, if younger, more aggressive and innovative coaches has caught him, with some now consistently doing a superior job?

5. The Pats manage personnel (draft, FA, trades, veteran negotiations, and cap space) better than most teams.

Is this what it looks like at the "end of a run?"

1.) Just because the Pats have 4-5 seasoned veterans starting on defense doesn't mean they aren't young. They have at least as many players starting with three or less years of experience.

2.) Moss is an elite WR who is going through a bad stretch. Contrary to popular belief, elite WRs don't put up 100 yards a game ever game. Even elite WRs can be inconsistent. The guy still leads the league in receing yards and tied for third in TDs.

3.) Right now, Brady isn't playing like one of the two best QBs in the league. But that doesn't mean he isn't. The guy is in his first year back from a major injury and was expected to struggle this year. He has been hampered at times from some bad playcalling too.

4.) This is ridiculous. The season isn't even over yet and the guy had a great year of coaching last year when Brady went down. One bad year does not mean the guy has fallen from grace and he still has time to redeem himself.

5.) The Pats do make a roster better than most teams. The Pats are in playoff contention every year of the Brady era. There have been plenty of flash in the pan teams during that time and even more teams that never sniffed the playoffs during that time. Belichick has not been as successful at it as he was earlier in the decade, but the ever increasing cap and many teams copying the Pats make it harder for Belichick to have that type of success.

I really do love these total overreaction threads after losses.

 

[Rob0729]

I think in 07 the offense helped the defense by getting up early, and playing with a lead.. This year the offense has to be forced to make plays and if they dont the defense cant make any either ...

Well, the difference between 2007 and this year is when the Pats got up with a lead in 2007, they kept the lead. This year every loss (except New Orleans) has been when the Pats had at least a two score lead at one point in the game.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The defense isn't young, it's just younger than the ones we've had.

Count me in with the 'who would you rather have' crowd when it comes to BB.

Brady right now is not a top 2 QB, maybe not even top 3. But come January I'm not sure I could say I'd rather have anyone else.

 

[The Dynasty]

Well, the difference between 2007 and this year is when the Pats got up with a lead in 2007, they kept the lead. This year every loss (except New Orleans) has been when the Pats had at least a two score lead at one point in the game.

There is no question that the offensive can help the defense. When you know that your offense is going to put up 28+ points it is a lot easier on your defense. This year our defense doesnt know what our offense is going to do. The offense this year has put a lot of pressure on our defense, and I think for the most part our defense has responded. Going into the year we knew that the offense was going to have to lead this team, and quite honestly it hasnt.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

And one more:

(--) BB doesn't open his playbook during the regular season and waits until playoffs to reveal his exotic schemes. Even assuming it had an iota of truth, I would say this was probably true in 2001-02 but not in the last few years.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

1. The defense is young. Four of the first five defensive linemen are seasoned vets. Two of the first four linebackers are seasoned vets. Five of the first seven DB's are seasoned vets. Of the 18 players getting significant playing time, three are rookies and three are second year players . Is this "young?"

2. Moss is an elite receiver. A quick scan of other team rosters puts a dent in that assumption, if actual performance is used as the measure. Two years ago, TV announcers were calling him the best in the league.

3. Brady is one of the two best QB's in the league. Again, not by performance. And if his reputation for winning in the clutch was to be formed this year, he'd be seen as someone who fades when the game is on the line.

4. BB is an elite head coach. Could it be that time has passed him by, if younger, more aggressive and innovative coaches has caught him, with some now consistently doing a superior job?

5. The Pats manage personnel (draft, FA, trades, veteran negotiations, and cap space) better than most teams.

Is this what it looks like at the "end of a run?"

1 - which means 6-7 players are not seasoned vets....THAT IS YOUNG

2 - 2009 NFL Player Receiving Stats - National Football League - ESPN

if he's not elite, what does elite mean?

3 - I will still call him one of the best in the game.....you can call him whatever you want

4 - 6 new defensive starters. somewhere along the line you have to replace players. the defense has problems but it is still not as bad as the one they had in 2002 that included many of the guys that made the defense in 2003 the best in the NFL. it is not possible to have your team have the best record in the NFL every year

5 - the jury is still out on this one. the pats have been very successful in terms of fielding good teams during the BB tenure. better than most, if not all, so that would not fly in the face of your assertion.

better sit down and take some advil

 

[condon84]

What goes up, must come down.

Our run has been great, but sooner or later, it has to end.

Whether this is the end or not, remains to be seen...

 

[Batman]

2. Moss is an elite receiver. A quick scan of other team rosters puts a dent in that assumption, if actual performance is used as the measure. Two years ago, TV announcers were calling him the best in the league.

I'm sorry but he is look at all of his stats he in in the top 10 for pretty much everything as a receiver he still gets double teamed I would say he is still elite.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

Halftime adjustments is the most overrated thing ever since they don't really exist. You talk to any player and there are very few halftime adjustments. Adjustments are made in every series. Christian Fauria addressed this on WEEI last weekend and said there is no time for halftime adjustments.

Also, the Pats have made great some adjustments over the years since 2004. People want to attribute lack of Super Bowls to lack of adjustments and poor coaching. It just isn't the case. You can make the case for this year that the adjustments haven't been great, but not in previous years. I don't think there is any statistical evidence that shows that other than this year that the Pats offense or defense deteriorated over the course of the game on a regular basis.

Rob - you know much more about the game than I possibly could and so I am not going to aruge especially when you refer to Fauria addressing it last weekend.

Wonder why the phrase is then constantly used by both TV commentators, many of whom are ex-players btw, and coaches in almost every game.

 

[The Dynasty]

I'm sorry but he is look at all of his stats he in in the top 10 for pretty much everything as a receiver he still gets double teamed I would say he is still elite.

Depends on what you consider elite. He is a top 10 receiver in the league no question, but I dont think hes top 5 anymore.

 

[BTTA]

I really do love these total overreaction threads after losses.

I'd suggest you have overreacted here. I certainly haven't. I'm just thinking out loud, not drawing any conclusions. That's the definition of "questioning" - opening something up to thought and conversation. I didn't say I believed the points I was making. I just put some thoughts out there that had crossed my mind.

The overreactions are from people who act as if I've proclaimed these things to be truths.