PostGame Thread 2023 Week 2: Patriots Lose to Dolphins 24-17

[upstater1]

I was beating the tackle drum since February at least (and yrs before that) but this board was convincing me they will be ok.

The only chance to address starting tackle situation this year was FA since OT Draft was awful. Thank god they didnt waste prime picks there and miss on two prime position blue chips Gonzo & White.

Going into FA they clearly wanted to address the issue. FA offered a rare selection of 5 ligit starting OTs. It doesnt happen every year in fact it happens rarely and it certainly wont happen next year. Ok, lets say Bill didn't like one or two for whatever the reason and didn't like the price for most though he knows well enough you can't be exactly picky at tackles. They decided they'd go for Dillard. Would not be my pick considering his inj history and Pats OL depth/inj situation but ok, if healthy he might even be the best fit for Bill. Finally Titans won the bidding at 3y/29M with only 13M guaranteed - essentially a 2y/17M deal despite Pats having significantly more cap over the next 3 years (that was easy to create).

So what baffled me was not executing this relatively cheap and non-committal contract on essential position that is so hard to find in FA & identified as great need. Instead they spent 9M guaranteed money on half retired Reiff and swing tackle Anderson (who in combo with at least Dillard would be a good signing).

At that point you're already asking for trouble. Pushing average college LG to play starting NFL RT bc all other options failed instead of keeping him at G at least for the time being knowing there will be shortage with Onwenu missing half a year incl entire preseason etc etc.

I thought this kind of gambling is just not BBs modus operandi but here we are..

With perfect health going forward the line could be solidified to some extent but they might be in deep hole by then..

3 of those FA LTs are getting worked by their fanbases. One of them McGlinchey has been a disaster. Set to collect $87m. Imagine, we killed Belichick for his $22m to Algholor over 2 yrs.

 

[State]

Maybe it's God Almighty cursing the team for bringing in male cheerleaders. This year it's up to 3, because that's what's important for the team, cheerleaders. Probably only a matter of time until they bring in a trans to take pics with the kids. Good luck with all this. You can go ahead and cancel me if you want.

And equal number of toilets for women even though they comprise maybe 20% of the crowd.

 

[DSting]

The unforgiveable sin in building this team is failing to address the OT situation. O'B has to scheme quick passes to cover for poor OL protection. No push or movement in the run game no matter whether it's zone, pulling G, it doesn't matter. Mac looks better than the last two years--his throws to the right and and his footwork are better, but he has to fit balls into super tight windows with no time because the receivers don't create much separation and the OL is a sieve. The sideline pass he made on the run was just outstanding, but the offensive execution has to be nearly perfect just to get 6- 8 yards on a pass play.
OL hasn't had time to gel? They couldn't have seen Strange's injury coming, but they knew about injuries and fitness levels and did nothing to solidify the line. Paying for an OT was an absolute must for this team but BB is sitting on cap money and hording it like it's his kids' inheritance.

 

[Ian]

How come Mac is throwing the ball short of the first down on a 4th down must have it play?

Terrible call but O'Brien.

He couldn't get enough on it because he was about to get hit. There's a screen grab of that play in the X's and O's thread. Andrews got beat on that last play inside and Chubb was about to blow him up. Gesicki was even with the sticks, and Jones still managed to get the ball out but couldn't step into it, so Gesicki had to turn back for it.

 

[Triumph]

Do you think it is the pressure of following Brady? The kid has no energy whatsoever. As awful as Cam was, he brought the emotion every game to the team ...

No, its just Jones demeanor.

Last night, as he walked off the field after failing to score, Jones was slapping the FG units hands as they took the field. That tells me that Jones was happy to at least get 3 points after Hill said that Jones sucks.

 

[State]

I agree. But there were still decent candidates in the fourth round in Jaelyn Duncan, Dawand Jones, and Carter Warren.

Thank god they didnt waste prime picks there and miss on two prime position blue chips Gonzo & White.

 

[Steve102]

No, its just Jones demeanor.

Last night, as he walked off the field after failing to score, Jones was slapping the FG units hands as they took the field. That tells me that Jones was happy to at least get 3 points after Hill said that Jones sucks.

I wouldn't read anything into that, except he's being a good teammate, wishing that unit success.

 

[libra957]

Tua is now 5-0 against Belichick, that's despicable.

 

[Triumph]

I wouldn't read anything into that, except he's being a good teammate, wishing that unit success.

You need the killer attitude at this level.

FGs dont cut it in pristine conditions.

 

[Ian]

No, its just Jones demeanor.

Last night, as he walked off the field after failing to score, Jones was slapping the FG units hands as they took the field. That tells me that Jones was happy to at least get 3 points after Hill said that Jones sucks.

It's so funny, his rookie year, he was too energetic, last year, he was too emotional, this year, he's been more business-like through two games and now he's not showing enough emotion. It's interesting to listen to some of the discussion on talk radio in terms of what they're zeroing in on to kill him for.

Not saying it's from you because I know where it's coming from, but it's just bizarre people on air are beating on him for the opposite of what he had been doing when it comes to this.

 

[State]

The unforgiveable sin in building this team is failing to address the OT situation.

Good point. LT is the second most important position on most teams. But with Belichick teams it appears to be safety.

 

[Thunderhead]

Tua is now 5-0 against Belichick, that's despicable.

And the Phins only averaging 19ppg in those games.

 

[State]

Tugboat Bentley and Soslow Tahlani are miscast as middle linebackers against the speed of Miami. Mostert running to the left, Tavai’s side, was almost guaranteed to net five yards.

Why didn’t speedster Mr Versatile Marty Mapu play LB? What position were his snaps? I remember safety. F that.

Dang coaching mistake.

 

[amfootball]

It's so funny, his rookie year, he was too energetic

I don't remember anyone complaining about him his rookie season.

last year, he was too emotional

It wasn't just emotion. He was throwing hissy fits and showing up his coaches

this year, he's been more business-like through two games and now he's not showing enough emotion. It's interesting to listen to some of the discussion on talk radio in terms of what they're zeroing in on to kill him for.

I am not sure what it is but the team is really flat. Judon mentioned this after the game. I am not sure that reality is all Mac's fault but with Brady, you could feel his intensity keeping everyone in line and on the same page. I never really see Jones get in the face of his skill guys or Olinemen, the way Brady used to. He might just have a different way of leading too but even under awful Cam, the team had much more energy.

 

[Brotherblues]

Positive spin:

There are maybe 22 teams we beat the last two weeks. We played none of them. We can and did hang competitively against 2 contender caliber squads.

The warts we've seen can be remedied to *some* extent by a) a healthier oline, and b) more in-game experience for the whole offensive group with their new coordinator.

Negatives that drive me crazy:

1. For the love of all that is good and for the sake of all our sanities, scrap the "throw it up to Parker and let him win it" concept from any and all pages of the playbook. Burn it from Mac's memory. There are plenty of other plays they run for him that do work.

2. WR isn't a strength. Pass blocking with scrap heap OTs is a clear disadvantage. So benching your absolute best weapon at getting open quickly is mind boggling. Tell him what (if anything) he could have done differently and send him back out. Let him atone.

You can argue wether his fumble was a self-inflicted wound or a great play by the defender. Benching a guy that helps you swing your best punches is definitely, and with no room for argument, a self inflicted wound.

 

[State]

If you told me going into last offseason that we were going to go defense in the first three rounds, I would have thought you were on crack. Somehow people talked themselves into believing it was saavy and Bill was Zigging with the league Zagging.

It’s called nepotism. Funneling talent to help Stevie and Brian look good. When we had the second oldest offense in the gd league with the lowest red zone production.

Anderson, over the hill Reiff, and Schuster took care of the deficiencies. And pigs have wings.

But we got a kicker! Young Buck with a serious leg.

Excuse me while I wait for the Patriots to score more than 21 points. Not sure it’s going to happen against the Jets. Gonna be a wait. Even worse than at Town Fair Tire.

 

[Ian]

I don't remember anyone complaining about him his rookie season.

People were all over him for the griddy, his celebrations after some of his plays (you can see those in the gifs), etc.

It wasn't just emotion. He was throwing hissy fits and showing up his coaches

He was fired up and many of his teammates agreed with those emotions.

I am not sure what it is but the team is really flat. Judon mentioned this after the game. I am not sure that reality is all Mac's fault but with Brady, you could feel his intensity keeping everyone in line and on the same page.

I would say Brady instilled fear in them but he had the resume to back that up and that started much later in his career.

I never really see Jones get in the face of his skill guys or Olinemen, the way Brady used to. He might just have a different way of leading too but even under awful Cam, the team had much more energy.

Again, Brady scared the you-know-what out of them. And the energy comes when you’re winning. Not going to see much positive emotion, I don’t think, unless that changes.

 

[Steve102]

You need the killer attitude at this level.

FGs dont cut it in pristine conditions.

I get that, to be sure. He doesn't need to be mean muggin' his teammates, however. Further, everyone here would crucify him if he was petulant toward the FG unit.

 

[zydecochris]

They might have gone after Watson though for a temporary fix

Not at what Cleveland paid him. And not with what he was dealing with.

More importantly, I can't think of BB EVER sacrificing the future in a "win now" sacrifice-the-future move like so many other teams do (to his credit, IMHO), it is why the Pats under BB have never had a truly catastrophe season leading to a top 5 pick (our idea of catastrophe is a 7 or 8 win season).

For Cleveland, after having the overall #1 pick in 2017 and 2018 Cleveland sent a "win now" package for Watson starting at three freaking first round picks plus a fully guaranteed $230M contract (!). The Fins drafted Tua with the 5th overall pick then sent a 1st and 2nd draft picks for Hill (with a 4 year $120M extension!) and then they spent two very high 1st round picks to trade up for Waddle (not to mention sending away and extra 1st for Chubb), and also lost a 1st by tampering for Brady, all "win now" moves. Teams like the Saints, Bucks, Jets Broncos and most famously the Rams sacrificed the future with "win now" moves that bit them later.

BB doesn't do "win now, sacrifice the future" in my memory. And, currently the Pats look to be in excellent shape for the future on defense (with the future of the secondary looking especially bright), they have at least one top RB, and the TE position finally looks solid. The interior OL arguably looks good once everyone gets healed up and gets used to playing as a team. I still think that Mac has promise as a starting QB (and I thought he looked pretty good in both the last two games when he wasn't on his back). And we have some promising rookies at WR. I would argue that all the Pats need to be a real contender again is to get (or have someone emerge) as a true #1 WR threat and to fix our abysmal OT situation. I still think the future is bright for the Pats. And, yes, the glass is half full.

 

[captain stone]

Would you prefer the Pats had not drafted Gonzales and White, and drafted OL instead?

BB knocked this draft out of the park.

My lordy, we took Gonzalez and Keion White who shouldve been a 1st rounder.

For a team not winning the SB this year, bringing blue chippers in is worth it. Getting better offensive players is important but not if you're passing up potential All-Pros.

Shaun Wade and Myles Bryant would've been our CBs last night.

Nobody's discussing the first two picks.

It's Everyone Else.

You know, the THREE C/Gs, TWO Kickers, TWO DBs known more for STs than for coverage, and Yet Another SS/LB...