BELICHICK IS TO BLAME.

[IllegalContact]

No. Then again, I do not think that the Broncos have 7 starters on rookie deals who will become UFAs after this season.

D Thomas
J Thomas
O Franklin
C Harris
R Moore
N Irving
I was wrong....only 6, but porkchop will be a free agent and justified a healthy raise

 

[IllegalContact]

I think porkchop should be someone the pats should chase in the offseason

 

[patsderoer]

lets see, last year by this time our defense was missing vince wilfork, jerod mayo, rob gronkowski and were able to go 4-0 playing behind an OL which was just as bad with 2 rookie receivers starting(whom somehow this year have been benched)

Ummm, NO. The OL was no where near as bad as this one.

 

[IllegalContact]

Ummm, NO. The OL was no where near as bad as this one.

You can't be sure.....the pats made huge use of no huddle a year ago....something they have yet to do this year

For some reason, they're not masking anything....hence my notion that they still in training camp

 

[RIpats88]

Ummm, NO. The OL was no where near as bad as this one.

Brady has been hit/sacked in the first 4 games at the same pace he was last season from what i've seen people post as stats. but, as illegal contact said they used more no-huddle. and gave the rookies a chance. which paid dividends as they started to play better. Thompkins had the 100+yard game against atlanta and the game winning td against the saints.

 

[BSR]

Not necessarily, although I've mentioned that as one potential solution. In this case, I was just doing the leg work in response to another poster's discussion of the picks. The numbers should be eye opening for everyone.



Yes, probably because the problems go deeper than one failed free agent signing.



When you stock a position with low round picks, you will get low round talent, as a rule.



Belichick is more than a year late, and the issue goes deeper than just a drafting disparity. Belichick has made a lot of terrible decisions in the post-2007 era, and he's always had Brady around to bail him out. Now, with the bad decisions (and injuries) leaving the offense about as bereft of talent as it's been since Belichick's arrival, the chickens have come home to roost, and Brady has not been able to bail him out this time around, at least up until now.

The Patriots 'always' get better as the year goes on. The question this year, for the first time in a long, long time, is whether or not that will be enough.


P.S. If you watched the game on Monday, you know that Stork and Fleming weren't ready.

So you are suggesting the solution is what exactly? (go ahead say it...you know you want to)

 

[Patters]

I think the problem with BB began quite a few years ago. He's still a great coach because of his preparation, but all his original and best ideas have been copied, from situational football, to clock management, to bend but don't break, to team professionalism, to one game at a time, among others. Further, given his success, every team has studied BB more than anyone else. So many times in the past I've heard announcers refer to a late season game against a weaker opponent as that team's Superbowl -- the idea that beating the Patriots would be huge for any team. Well, teams now know BB -- they've copied him, they've studied him, at times they have obsessed over his game plans.

In the past, even when the Pats played a stronger opponent, BB could always find ways to make the other team miserable -- they might beat us, but they wouldn't get to play their game. In the past, even when had glaring weaknesses, BB found ways to hide those weaknesses or correct them. But, our opponents have been working for years to solve the problems that BB-coached team present. I think the best teams have, and that knowledge is slowly filtering through the NFL.

I wouldn't put it past BB to turn this team around, but he also faces the fact that Wilford, Gronk, and Brady, while still exceptional and among the best at their positions, may not be the superstars they once were. Add to that the reality that Dante Scarnecchia always found a way to make our OL work, even when it lacked talent. Dave DeGuglielmo just doesn't seem to be as talented. And, what's up with Josh McDaniels! Did anyone see an offensive strategy in that game? The whole game we seemed to be improvising, and the absence of Dobson and Thompkins, our deep threats, basically signaled to Any Reid our offensive strategy. So, our problems run deep.

If the Pats are going to turn things around, they are going to need a BB who once again thinks outside of the box and also gets a handle on what other teams now know about the Pats. The Pats have enough talent to be at least competitive against any team, but the NFL is obviously in the post-BB era. BB must adapt.

 

[Miguel]

Brady has been hit/sacked in the first 4 games at the same pace he was last season from what i've seen people post as stats.

May I refer you to
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/96346/patriots-offense-going-downhill

Brady has been pressured on 26 percent of his dropbacks, which would be the highest since that data became available in 2009.

He’s also been sacked on 6.2 percent of his dropbacks, which would be his highest since 2001. This had led to three lost fumbles for Brady, same as he had in the previous two seasons combined.

Emphasis added

 

[Brady6]

Common sense, Mallett was a higher risk QB who fell because of "off field issues", and provided a back up qb who became well versed in this system, we will never know if he was adequate or not.

Garrapolo was the first attempt to begin to find a replacement for Brady, and if he was not what they expected they would probably do the same thing again.. they had a couple of years to get this right, so they chose him sooner rather than later.

You forgot 2nd round pick Volmer, who they drafted in 2009.... in the past they have had success in finding adequate OL folks, perhaps it was due to Scar or maybe they were gifted; Stephen Neal, Joe Andruzzi, Danm Koppen to name a few. It seems that the philosophy of this team was that they could draft a middle rounder or sign an underperforming player and "coach them up"...

I think fans consistently insult and undervalue how great Tom Brady is when they suggest Garopollo will be his heir apparent. When Peyton Manning left the Colts, it took Luck the #1 overall pick to replace him. Posters say Brady is the GOAT in one post and then say he is going to be replaced by a QB who was drafted at the end of the second round. Look at the list of current starting QBs, how many of them were taken at #62 or later and are franchise QBs - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NFL_starting_quarterbacks? I actually find it offensive that people think Brady can be replaced by anything short of the #1 overall pick in the draft.

 

[IllegalContact]

I just want to know why they refuse to adjust the play calling as they have every other year....

The inactive list was a dead giveaway of the game plan

 

[PatFanCraig]

Denver can keep most of their young talent. The cap can be manipulated. IF THE OWNER IS WILLING TO SPEND. Look at Seattle they signed many free agents and drafted very well. Everybody said wait til their young talent becomes free agents, they can't keep them all and pay their QB to. Guess what, they kept them all and resigned Bennett to. And they will pay Wilson to. They, like the broncos are dedicated to winning

 

[PatFanCraig]

I think fans consistently insult and undervalue how great Tom Brady is when they suggest Garopollo will be his heir apparent. When Peyton Manning left the Colts, it took Luck the #1 overall pick to replace him. Posters say Brady is the GOAT in one post and then say he is going to be replaced by a QB who was drafted at the end of the second round. Look at the list of current starting QBs, how many of them were taken at #62 or later and are franchise QBs - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NFL_starting_quarterbacks? I actually find it offensive that people think Brady can be replaced by anything short of the #1 overall pick in the draft.

Garappollo may have challenged for #1 draft pick had he played for a big school. With that release and accuracy and athleticism and intelligence and not to mention his arm is way stronger than credited for. Once he puts his hip snap into his throw he will have an outright rifle. Had he brought Miami,Maryland or some other prominent but struggling school to national championship contention at Division 1 level he would have been in the conversation for #1 pick. I'm not saying he would have but he has the overall talent. I keep saying this was a better QB class than people think. Has potential to top 2012. Grapps and Carr were both very underrated. David Carr scared teams with Derek and Grapps played for a small school.

However, after looking at some CDs of both last night again, I think Grapps accuracy was slightly more consistent than Carrs. He had to be. Carr's WRs will at least have a shot at the NFL and be invited to a camp. Garappollo's WRs are adjusting their resume's right now for 9-5 jobs. However Grapps,Bridgewater,Bortles, and Carr are all clustered very close together as very accurate and athletic QBs. Throw in Manziel and even McCarron and this class has as much talent or more than 2012 and more talent than 2011. They are all significantly better than many of the QBs that went top 12 in 2011. And Andy Dalton is just surrounded with talent. Same can be said for Wilson, and kaeperanimal who do have arm talent but in simplified systems. Put simple, Grapps and his class peers in different circumstances could have been top 12 picks.

 

[luuked]

Denver can keep most of their young talent. The cap can be manipulated. IF THE OWNER IS WILLING TO SPEND. Look at Seattle they signed many free agents and drafted very well. Everybody said wait til their young talent becomes free agents, they can't keep them all and pay their QB to. Guess what, they kept them all and resigned Bennett to. And they will pay Wilson to. They, like the broncos are dedicated to winning

They might be able to keep some of their better players but once Wilson is on a non-rookie contract they will have either zero depth or will need to let some of them leave. And you can't bank on the draft to be successful every year. As everything in the NFL also their draft success will regress to the mean.

Since we carry over every non-spend dollar into the next years cap you can say that Kraft has consistently spend the full cap every year. None of this money was redirected into his pockets. So stop the BS implication that Kraft is unwilling to spend. Those 15m are chump change for him.

 

[patsderoer]

You can't be sure.....the pats made huge use of no huddle a year ago....something they have yet to do this year

For some reason, they're not masking anything....hence my notion that they still in training camp

I'm very sure that my eyes are no lieing to me, and Miguel was kind enough to provide hard data.
What could go wrong when your interior OL is already shaky, and you get rid of the best interior OL?
What could go wrong when you have one of the best pulling guards in the league, you get rid of him, and replace him with scrubs? And then wonder why can't establish the run, why can't convert short 3rd downs by running, why can't sustain drives, why do you make the Raiders look like an NFL team at home?

 

[IllegalContact]

You mean the same OG who has sucked in pass pro?

Can you explain no hurry up?

The OL has had issues before and hurry up has been the mask

 

[patsderoer]

You mean the same OG who has sucked in pass pro?

Can you explain no hurry up?

The OL has had issues before and hurry up has been the mask

He certainly did not suck in pass pro. With him the Pats got to the AFCCG, won 12, sustained drives, established the run, converted 3rd downs by running, did not lose by double digits, the offense did not look shot, never looked so bad as they do now.

 

[Deus Irae]

May I refer you to
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/96346/patriots-offense-going-downhill

Brady has been pressured on 26 percent of his dropbacks, which would be the highest since that data became available in 2009.

He’s also been sacked on 6.2 percent of his dropbacks, which would be his highest since 2001. This had led to three lost fumbles for Brady, same as he had in the previous two seasons combined.

Emphasis added

Just to follow this up....

These numbers are happening despite the Patriots making every possible attempt to limit the hits on Brady, even to the point of playing 6 OL for large portions of games. There's no equivalency between this year and last on this point.

 

[Zeus]

I think fans consistently insult and undervalue how great Tom Brady is when they suggest Garopollo will be his heir apparent. When Peyton Manning left the Colts, it took Luck the #1 overall pick to replace him. Posters say Brady is the GOAT in one post and then say he is going to be replaced by a QB who was drafted at the end of the second round. Look at the list of current starting QBs, how many of them were taken at #62 or later and are franchise QBs - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NFL_starting_quarterbacks? I actually find it offensive that people think Brady can be replaced by anything short of the #1 overall pick in the draft.

Agree that Garappollo is no Tom Brady, but who is? If Tom is legitimately GOAT, then by definition there will be a drop-off now matter who his successor is. Eventually someone will have to replace Brady - let's just hope that's still a ways down the road.

 

[DarrylS]

I think fans consistently insult and undervalue how great Tom Brady is when they suggest Garopollo will be his heir apparent. When Peyton Manning left the Colts, it took Luck the #1 overall pick to replace him. Posters say Brady is the GOAT in one post and then say he is going to be replaced by a QB who was drafted at the end of the second round. Look at the list of current starting QBs, how many of them were taken at #62 or later and are franchise QBs - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NFL_starting_quarterbacks? I actually find it offensive that people think Brady can be replaced by anything short of the #1 overall pick in the draft.

Brady may never be replaced, however they may find a qb who can more than adequately fill his shoes..

I have contended all along that Garapolo is their first attempt to get this right, and if he is not the heir apparent they have one or two more drafts to find the heir...

FYI... your argument about draft location..

Kapernick #36 2011 draft
Wilson #75 2012 draft
Drew Brees #35 2001

There are many high draft QB picks that have proven to be busts in the NFL...

 

[Boston D Party]

I think fans consistently insult and undervalue how great Tom Brady is when they suggest Garopollo will be his heir apparent. When Peyton Manning left the Colts, it took Luck the #1 overall pick to replace him. Posters say Brady is the GOAT in one post and then say he is going to be replaced by a QB who was drafted at the end of the second round. Look at the list of current starting QBs, how many of them were taken at #62 or later and are franchise QBs - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NFL_starting_quarterbacks? I actually find it offensive that people think Brady can be replaced by anything short of the #1 overall pick in the draft.

Yea, I mean how would the Patriots have survived after Bledsoe if they hadn't drafted his replacement #1?

Did I say #1? I meant #199. Future great QBs are hard to predict. Garoppolo has shown a lot of upside, it's not "offensive" to Brady to make that observation.