Interesting points from Tom Curran

[SVN]

48 lines on 24 NFL issues

9. Look, the Patriots can certainly win with the wide receivers and offensive weaponry they have. They play the most evolved style of NFL football ever morphing week-to-week, play-to-play even huddle to line of scrimmage.

10. Anyone worried about the offense not being good enough needs a hot bath, a cold shower and something else to do with their Sundays. That person has no idea what he/she is looking at.

11. HOWEVER! Unless their opponents are complicit in beating themselves offensively as the Cowboys, Jets and Chargers all were in not attacking the Patriots' secondary, the offense needs to continue scoring in the 30s.

12. And the offense will have a harder time doing that with the success other teams have had playing press, man-to-man, reducing the efficiency of Wes Welker (12 catches, 84 yards the past two games) and Rob Gronkowski. A field-stretcher that terrifies corners and safeties (like the Steelers' Mike Wallace) would alter the pressure defense.

13. To me, the barrier between getting to Indy in February comes down to this: either get better at stopping offenses or make your offense even harder to stop. Improving the offense seems a quicker fix than improving the defense.

14. So I'll say it. Moss.

15. What's the Patriots' greatest drafting blind spot? Is it wide receiver, linebacker, safety or corner?

16. The notion that the Patriots should hire a GM to take the personnel duties off of Bill Belichick's full plate may seem intriguing at first thought. But then give it a second one.

17. Will that GM have say over Belichick? Will that GM come from outside the organization?

18. Think Belichick is going to sign off on answering to someone at this juncture no matter how many high-draft picks have gone bellyup and free agent signings have gone bust? Me neither.

19. But if someone else in some other town had fanned on almost the entire 2006 draft, the entire 2007 draft, top-50 picks in '08 and '09, Adalius Thomas, Shawn Springs, Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta-Cain, Leigh Bodden, Chad Ochonono, Shaun Ellis and Albert Haynesworth? Right, that guy would be sitting next to Eric Mangini and Herm Edwards in Bristol.

20. And current personnel overseer Nick Caserio does absolutely nothing to inspire an iota of confidence that he's going to change Belichick's mind about anything ever. He may be smart, he may be well-spoken but I want to see if there's a string on his back that you pull and programmed Belichick-speak just pours out of his head.

21. Antwaun Molden was the scaredest guy in America this Halloween. On that blitz where Patrick Chung came from the safety spot, Molden sprinted 20 yards downfield because he had no over-the-top help on Mike Wallace who caught a WR screen and gained 12.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Interesting approach. Reminds me of this:

88 LINES ABOUT 44 WOMEN / THE NAILS on Vimeo

 

[DaBruinz]

WOW.. Curran is such a sanctimonious ASS.. He clearly is bitter for having lost out on whatever "inside" information he was getting previously.

Talk about over-exaggerations..

TBC? The guy was a 7th round pick for the team? Yet he was a mistake? The fact the Pats got ANY production from him is a plus.

Curran writing off Haynesworth already? Same with Ellis?? Guess that Curran hasn't actually watched any of the Pats games.. Probably too busy trying to kiss ass to anyone who will give him the time of day..

Curran must have missed the good season that Bodden had when he first signed with the Pats. Funny how that works..

Curran must have missed the memo that a majority of the GMs missed out on the 2007 draft. And they had Meriweather for 4 solid years. Umm.. That's not missing out on the "entire 2007 draft".

The 2006 draft? The Pats actually got some key role players out of that draft. Hell, even Maroney was decent until his immaturity wrote his way out of town. Same with Willie Andrews. Got two very good seasons out of him.. Then Drugs.. Is BB supposed to know what these guys do 2 years down the line??

Tom needs to do better homework. The only "Top 50 pick" the Pats had in 08 was Mayo. In 09, they have Chung, Butler and Brace. One hit. One miss. One the story isn't done yet. But it's really convenient that he stops at 50.. Why not say Top 64.. Then you could include Wheatley and Vollmer.. OH.. I know. Because if you did that, you'd have to ignore the ALL PRO OT..

As for Caserio, I guess that Curran missed out that the Pats also have a guy by the name of Floyd Reese helping out the Pats. I bet that Curran thinks that Reese wouldn't tell Belichick the truth either.. Caserio has the balls to tell Belichick the truth. Belichick has the balls to weigh the advice, but still make his own decisions. Funny how that works.

Tom Curran has officially fallen into the sewer as a reporter. He is barely above the likes of Ron Borges, the CHB, and Tomase...

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Agreed. He may have a few valid points but sanctimonious ass is the perfect label for Curran.

I watched the game again, with the benefit of letting the emotion of the loss subside and despite Curran's bellowing, and the two things that come to mind:

1) The accepted belief is correct. The man coverage was causing too little separation too often. I'd freeze whenever the camera shot showed a wider view of the field, and Steeler defenders were too close to the receivers too often.

2) Soft to the extreme for the Patriot secondary -- as in playing soft. These guys were too far back often. No wonder around 7 to 10 yards down the middle was consistently open. Too many defenders were often 5+ back. I assume this was by BB and staff's design (no big plays). The thing that struck me about this is, again re-watching the game, in the red zone it was much more aggressive defense and the screenshot freezes showed often the coverage was better. My conclusion on this is BB is going to have to let the secondary be more aggressive (at least sometimes) and take the lumps that may come with it (though the counter argument is the Steelers scored 23 points and the Patriot O is built to win games when teams score 23).

 

[DarrylS]

Being a contrarian, hysteric and controverial sells, as there are a lot of buyers..

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Being a contrarian, hysteric and controverial sells, as there are a lot of buyers..

In Boston sports (and a handful of other cities), it doesn't just sell -- though it sells well -- it's also a religion.

 

[letekro]

I liked him better without the "E"

 

[FalconHeavy]

Well some of the points he makes are intriguing... but I agree I don't like him after watching his circus a few times in cable

 

[Rob0729]

I love the spin now is that when the Pats' defense performs, it is the other team didn't test the Pats secondary. Did he watch the game on Sunday, Roethlisberger did a lot of dink and dunking down the field testing the Pats' LBs especially on the opening drive? He rarely threw deep. In fact, he did some the same things Rivers, Romo, and Sanchez did, but with far better effectiveness. Mike Wallace is a deep threat, but he didn't have a catch for longer than 16 yards on Sunday. In fact, the Steelers' longest reception was 26 yards.

 

[Darolyn72]

"But if someone else in some other town had fanned on almost the entire 2006 draft, the entire 2007 draft, top-50 picks in '08 and '09, Adalius Thomas, Shawn Springs, Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta-Cain, Leigh Bodden, Chad Ochonono, Shaun Ellis and Albert Haynesworth? Right, that guy would be sitting next to Eric Mangini and Herm Edwards in Bristol."

Debate this Patriot pj people. Because its 100% true.

 

[PrairiePat]

"But if someone else in some other town had fanned on almost the entire 2006 draft, the entire 2007 draft, top-50 picks in '08 and '09, Adalius Thomas, Shawn Springs, Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta-Cain, Leigh Bodden, Chad Ochonono, Shaun Ellis and Albert Haynesworth? Right, that guy would be sitting next to Eric Mangini and Herm Edwards in Bristol."

Debate this Patriot pj people. Because its 100% true.

Ok Captain Negative (I saw your post in the same tone in the Rodney thread, seems to be a theme with you).

2006 - Maroney was hardly a bust, especially those first 2 years. Injuries derailed him more than anything.
2007 - 2nd round we got Wes Welker, 4th round we got Moss. Yeah, not from the college ranks, but every other team had the same opportunity to trade for these guys, yet we got them, and they turned out marginally OK.
2008/2009 - Banta-Cain a bust? Really? Bodden a bust pre-injury? He was our best corner in 2009!
2010/2011 - Ellis and Haynesworth are already busts? Wow. Thanks for that scoop

I love how the good picks/trades/signings are quickly forgotten around here, while the Chad Jacksons and Wilhites of the draft classes are remembered forever.

 

[Rob0729]

"But if someone else in some other town had fanned on almost the entire 2006 draft, the entire 2007 draft, top-50 picks in '08 and '09, Adalius Thomas, Shawn Springs, Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta-Cain, Leigh Bodden, Chad Ochonono, Shaun Ellis and Albert Haynesworth? Right, that guy would be sitting next to Eric Mangini and Herm Edwards in Bristol."

Debate this Patriot pj people. Because its 100% true.

Well, the 2007 draft stuff is bunk. A bunch of sixth and seventh round picks didn't work out that year. Big deal. The Pats had one pick in the first three rounds that year and three picks in the first five. They had six picks in the sixth and seventh round and with a team that went 18-1, most of them had zero shot to make the team. The Pats traded away that draft to get Welker and Moss and what eventually became Jerod Mayo.

Haynesworth has worked out fine for what the Pats gave up for him and what they are paying him. Just because everyone expected that he would be the 2007 Haynesworth, that doesn't make it a bad trade.

Bodden worked out fine in 2009. The problem with him was he had a season ending injury in 2010 and never regained his form. I don't blame the team for players signed and don't work out because of injuries.

Tully Banta-Cain worked out very well his first year back. He was the first defender since Vrabel to have double digit sacks. He was a low price acquisition and worked out very well for a year. It wasn't like he was a marquee guy. I don't think he was a bad acquistion at all.

As pointed out, Curran is wrong about top 50 picks in 2008. The only top 50 pick was Mayo and that worked out. Wheatley was the next pick at 62.

I never like the Ellis deal and still don't. The 2006 draft was horrible. Although Adalius Thomas worked out fairly well his first year, he never remotely lived up to what he was supposed to be. Shawn Springs was a waste. Burgess had flashes, but never was good enough especially for what they gave up for him. Ochocinco hasn't worked out, but it was a low risk, high reward type of trade and since it didn't work out thus far it was a low risk that hasn't paid off.

 

[Darolyn72]

Bodden didn't work out fine. They paid in 25 million over the two contracts and he had one good year. What the heck are you talking about. you can't say, well he had one good year. That's foolish.

Maroney was a MAJOR bust, one of the biggest this team's had. Adalius Thomas was good for one year?

NEWSFLASH FOR FANBOYS. One year does not make it a good signing when you sign him for multiple years. Corey Dillon was good for ONE year. And then they wasted big money on him. And can we please stop with the 2007 draft. They still fanned on Meriweather when they had Beason sitting right there and they had a defense that was old. Meriweather was a good not great college player who was most famous for stomping on someone's head.

2008 - How many players still on the team.

2009 - Is looking worse and worse.

2010 - IS there only good draft.

We are talking about 5 drafts now. And almost no impact players.

You cannot win a debate without facts. You don't have facts.

This team traded Richard Seymour for crying out loud. For a tackle. A tackle who they could have got in any of the last 3 drafts. Asante Samuel, gone.

Listen, I don't need to debate those who won't relent.

This team is currently starting Three former released players.

Ellis, Carter, Ninkovich.

Three undrafted players. Brown, Love, Arrington

Three of there OWN first round picks, one is having a historically horrible year. maybe that is coaching. McCourty, Mayo and Wilfolk and Vince was drafted 7 years ago.

And two second rounders, in Chung and Spikes. And let's face it Spikes doesn't fit in today's NFL.

Then you have Phillip Adams, Mouldon, Guyton and Haynesworth. All Cast offs and undrafted players. There is NO TALENT on the team. So you either blame Belichick for the lack of talent or you blame him for the lack of development. Either way he is to blame.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

There is NO TALENT on the team. So you either blame Belichick for the lack of talent or you blame him for the lack of development. Either way he is to blame.

Relax. Tony Sparano will be available to run this team in just a few months.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

curren, who is solid, is dead on on this article... although i dont know about the moss comment...

 

[Rob0729]

Bodden didn't work out fine. They paid in 25 million over the two contracts and he had one good year. What the heck are you talking about. you can't say, well he had one good year. That's foolish.

Maroney was a MAJOR bust, one of the biggest this team's had. Adalius Thomas was good for one year?

NEWSFLASH FOR FANBOYS. One year does not make it a good signing when you sign him for multiple years. Corey Dillon was good for ONE year. And then they wasted big money on him. And can we please stop with the 2007 draft. They still fanned on Meriweather when they had Beason sitting right there and they had a defense that was old. Meriweather was a good not great college player who was most famous for stomping on someone's head.

2008 - How many players still on the team.

2009 - Is looking worse and worse.

2010 - IS there only good draft.

We are talking about 5 drafts now. And almost no impact players.

You cannot win a debate without facts. You don't have facts.

This team traded Richard Seymour for crying out loud. For a tackle. A tackle who they could have got in any of the last 3 drafts. Asante Samuel, gone.

Listen, I don't need to debate those who won't relent.

This team is currently starting Three former released players.

Ellis, Carter, Ninkovich.

Three undrafted players. Brown, Love, Arrington

Three of there OWN first round picks, one is having a historically horrible year. maybe that is coaching. McCourty, Mayo and Wilfolk and Vince was drafted 7 years ago.

And two second rounders, in Chung and Spikes. And let's face it Spikes doesn't fit in today's NFL.

Then you have Phillip Adams, Mouldon, Guyton and Haynesworth. All Cast offs and undrafted players. There is NO TALENT on the team. So you either blame Belichick for the lack of talent or you blame him for the lack of development. Either way he is to blame.

LOL! So the Pats traded a 30 year old defensive player who had underachieved his last two season with the Pats for just a LT which is arguably the second most important offensive position other than a QB. When did a LT become an irrelevant position? It is arguably more important than a 3-4 DE or 4-3 DT. Please name these LTs that the Pats could have gotten in any of the last three years of the draft. Just because you don't understand football and how important a LT is to a team, doesn't mean it is a position you can fill with just anyone.

Yes, this team has no talent.

You do realize even the Chicken Littles don't want to associate with you and your crazy rants?

 

[Deus Irae]

curren, who is solid, is dead on on this article... although i dont know about the moss comment...

Nah.... he makes some good points, but he makes a couple of really stupid comments, too. That line about Bristol is absolute crap, for example. There's not a team in the game that would be firing BB over his personnel moves, because his record's still been excellent.

 

[Rob0729]

curren, who is solid, is dead on on this article... although i dont know about the moss comment...

Some of his points are dead on. Others are just overreactionary, sky is falling stuff you expect to see on a message board. If I was him, I wouldn't save this article for his portfolio. He has written far better ones.

 

[BradyManny]

WOW.. Curran is such a sanctimonious ASS.. He clearly is bitter for having lost out on whatever "inside" information he was getting previously.

Talk about over-exaggerations..

TBC? The guy was a 7th round pick for the team? Yet he was a mistake? The fact the Pats got ANY production from him is a plus.

Curran must have missed the good season that Bodden had when he first signed with the Pats. Funny how that works..

The 2006 draft? The Pats actually got some key role players out of that draft. Hell, even Maroney was decent until his immaturity wrote his way out of town. Same with Willie Andrews. Got two very good seasons out of him.. Then Drugs.. Is BB supposed to know what these guys do 2 years down the line??

DaBruinz - he clearly meant re-signing TBC to a bigger deal, which we did. At one point TBC was what, the 5th highest cap hit on the team. Was that a good move? No.

As for Bodden - hell no does one good year - which happened before the contract in question - redeem a $25 million mistake.

As for knowing what these guys do 2 years down the line - that's the very job of a scout and a GM, so yes, Belichick should know that.

The point is, no one is infallible, and everyone makes mistakes - especially in the NFL when the success rate is insanely low once you get out of the first half of round 1 or the very top tier free agents. But making excuses is silly. There's no reason to. It's a hard job, mistakes have been made. No reason to sugar coat it.

 

[DaBruinz]

"But if someone else in some other town had fanned on almost the entire 2006 draft, the entire 2007 draft, top-50 picks in '08 and '09, Adalius Thomas, Shawn Springs, Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta-Cain, Leigh Bodden, Chad Ochonono, Shaun Ellis and Albert Haynesworth? Right, that guy would be sitting next to Eric Mangini and Herm Edwards in Bristol."

Debate this Patriot pj people. Because its 100% true.

It's not 100% true. I fact, had you bothered to read and if you knew anything, you'd know that the4 following was true, not Curran's blabber.

Curran must have missed the memo that a majority of the GMs missed out on the 2007 draft. And they had Meriweather for 4 solid years. Umm.. That's not missing out on the "entire 2007 draft".

The 2006 draft? The Pats actually got some key role players out of that draft. Hell, even Maroney was decent until his immaturity wrote his way out of town. Same with Willie Andrews. Got two very good seasons out of him.. Then Drugs.. Is BB supposed to know what these guys do 2 years down the line??

Tom needs to do better homework. The only "Top 50 pick" the Pats had in 08 was Mayo. In 09, they have Chung, Butler and Brace. One hit. One miss. One the story isn't done yet. But it's really convenient that he stops at 50.. Why not say Top 64.. Then you could include Wheatley and Vollmer.. OH.. I know. Because if you did that, you'd have to ignore the ALL PRO OT..

Let's here you rebuttal....