Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy
 

One very simple reason. The Pats didn't buy insurance for their egg. And when the egg broke they ended up with yolk all over their face.

Let's look back to Milloy please. That year the Pats did the smart thing. They signed Rodney Harrison. At first the press was puzzled that they had two starters signed to the same position. But the Pats FO said ostensibly they were going to play the "Big Nickel" so both guys would start. But don't you think in the back of their minds they were thinking of Harrison also as insurance?

And when Milloy's contract situation didn't work out... guess who stepped up? That's right Harrison. And we won the superbowl that year if I recall correctly.

Looking back on the Branch mess though the Pats never made that crucial insurance move. Javon Walker was available if the Pats had done a little talking. So was the Saint's Donte Stallworth. And now it looks like Walker and Stallworth are off to have 1,000 yard seasons.

The Pats FO KNEW that Branch was in a contract situation. They also KNEW that they had no proven depth behind him. The Pats FO should have KNOWN better and should have prepared for the worse by shoring up that position.

As far as I know Chad Jackson might turn up better than Deion Branch... NEXT YEAR. But with him limping around and a rookie in this offense to boot doesn't help us NOW.

I'm sorry but I gotta hold the Pats FO accountable... not for not giving in to branch's contract demands but for FAILING to INSURE a position, WR, that would be vital to Tom Brady's success (and ergo the Pats offense) this season.

Re: Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy
 

The Pats will be fine. 13-3 is within reach, 12-4 is highly likely. This early season fear-mongering is unnecessary. How many times do they have to quiet their critics before their own fans trust their judgment? Gabriel, Jackson, Brown, Maroney, Dillon, Faulk, Brady, Mankins, Koppen are better offensive players than 25 out of 32 teams have. Once the machine starts moving it will be a joy to watch, and people will laugh remembering these supposed dark times.

Re: Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy
 

How do we know that Branch situation turned out worse than the Milloy situation? Did I over sleep and miss the Super Bowl. Damn, I can't believe I did that again.

Re: Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy
 

Gabriel looked good for one drive and then disappeared. Watson is dropping too many balls out there to make me feel comfortable with him as the go to guy, much as I like him.

I still believe that securing a starting quality wideout that would have been IN CAMP practicing with Brady would have insured the success of this offense in 2006.

I love Dillon/Maroney but look what happened when Denver keyed on the run game. Don't you think other teams will be copying the Denver blueprint to stop the Pats one dimensional offense?

Re: Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy
 

And again I ask, how do we know that the 2006 campaign has been unsuccessful?

Re: Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy
 

What I saw:
Gabriel has good hands, is tough to take down, and is a team player. Watson, in his second season, is on track for 65 catches and 800+ yards. Maroney had a tough night; following RBs throughout the years, these things happen and he could just as easily put 140 yards on the Bengals. Plus, we now know he is an able and dangerous pass catcher. Brown is still clever, Brady's "problems" are merely frustration because the moving parts of the offense are not executing properly. There is no "Denver blueprint". The Denver Blueprint by week 5 will be suicide, as Brady adjusts to the new wideouts. Each week they are improving; each week Watson, still a young player, improves; Maroney improves; Callahan improves; Mankins improves; Gabriel improves; Jackson improves. There is every reason to be optimistic. Every battle wavers between defeat and victory on both sides. The general who first believes himself defeated invariably loses.

Re: Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy
 

You should. Because it was a lot worse than now. Alot worse. No one is saying we lost the heart and soul of our offense. And we were 1-2 in 2003, not 2-1.

Don't try to use logic to prove doom and gloom for the Pats this year, becuase if you believe they are in trouble it is because you are ignoring the actual situation and running of out-of-control emotions and knee-jerk reactions.

Let the situation resolve itself with time, and and all will be well.

The only people panicking are the media types who prefer panic mode to analysis mode (gets more attention) and people who go bonkers whenever the Patriots lose a game, as though if they are not 16-0 they suck.

Re: Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy
 

The Milloy situation killed us. We dropped Milloy then lost 31-0 to the Bills. That season sucked.

Re: Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy
 

kinda getting worn out by the branch discussions ...its over ..he is not here ..lets have fun with the new players and possibilities ..my 2 cents...

Re: Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy
 

We were never 1-2 in 2003 and when we cut Milloy we got nothing in return. At least we got a first round draft choice for Deion.