Feelings on Bill O'Brien so far?

[StrawHatPatriot]

I noticed that so far in the first two weeks, people have varying opinions on Mac, Belichick, and the team as a whole.

Some blame Mac for not being able to actually be clutch and win the Pats a game (instead of just not being the reason the lost). Others are pointing more blame to Belichick for the roster construction (WR), some the o-line, and others, like me, will blame all three.

But I noticed that Bill O'Brien isn't getting much discussion. My opinion? O'Brien has been a little disappointing.

I don't have the data on me, but he's been calling a lot of screen passes, and at times theyve been blown up quickly. Although the O-line plays a role in the amount of screens being called. But beyond that, there's not much creative playcalling. It feels like that have 1 or 2 good Scripted drives to start the game, but beyond that, there's no other creative playcalls that can elevate the talent or squeeze enough out of them.

what do you guys think?

 

[archstanton543]

I noticed that so far in the first two weeks, people have varying opinions on Mac, Belichick, and the team as a whole.

Some blame Mac for not being able to actually be clutch and win the Pats a game (instead of just not being the reason the lost). Others are pointing more blame to Belichick for the roster construction (WR), some the o-line, and others, like me, will blame all three.

But I noticed that Bill O'Brien isn't getting much discussion. My opinion? O'Brien has been a little disappointing.

I don't have the data on me, but he's been calling a lot of screen passes, and at times theyve been blown up quickly. Although the O-line plays a role in the amount of screens being called. But beyond that, there's not much creative playcalling. It feels like that have 1 or 2 good Scripted drives to start the game, but beyond that, there's no other creative playcalls that can elevate the talent or squeeze enough out of them.

what do you guys think?

You can't run play-action if you can't run. And they can't run so that takes those types of plays off the table...hence the screens. Good play-action can slow a team's pass rush but without that in the arsenal, that leaves you with screens.

 

[turkeyneck]

Hard to say at this point. It seems he's working from a small play sheet to accommodate OL issues, rookies and other new guys, generally still getting a feel for the tools he has available

 

[TomPatriot]

Too early to tell.

So far, he’s hamstrung by the banged up OL and lack of skill position players.

One play he should never have called is the jump ball to Parker covered by Howard.

It’s much less about playcalling and much more about lack of execution. In a few weeks we should know more.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Hard to put a grade considering the OL.

 

[chasa]

id love to see less screens and instead get more short over the middle stuff.

hard to have a strong opinion when Bill benches the best/fastest offensive player, and our second best offensive player doesn't play offense, and got hurt playing defense.
lets see how things go once we have a functioning offensive line, and more then 2 seconds to get the ball out.

 

[borg]

BOB should have stood up to Bill and demanded Pop reenter the game as a WR.

 

[amfootball]

I thought everyone was overrating BoB to begin with because of the crap show at OC last year. I think he is a decent OC but he would not have been my first choice. I felt we needed a more dynamic type of OC. I wanted Kellen Moore who the Chargers signed as soon as Dallas let him go but he runs more of a west coast offense so maybe not the best fit but I wanted someone in that general mold - young and innovative. Our offense looks like the 80s.

 

[ahmed]

When talk of us hiring him began, I said he was an average coach. Nothing happened to change my mind.

He is not getting criticism because Patricia. He will if these results continue.

 

[Toofy]

I think we can steal a few of the concepts from dolphins in terms of the misdirections . I want them to move Marcus Jones on offense along with Douglas and run the two tight ends on obvious passing plays and watch how the defenses defend us. We are wasting Marcus on defense.

 

[cupofjoe1962]

Bill O’Brien is far better than what we had last season but I also remember a lot of people were not happy with him, last time he was here.

People were excited when Josh McDaniel rejoined the team late in the year for the playoffs & Josh replaced him the following season

I blame this offense on Belichick. Without Brady, we cannot win with better X&O’s with ordinary Jimmy’s & Joe’s.

The OL is a disaster & if they are really serious about winning, we need to invest in real talent for the offense

Shopping at “the dollar store” for MASH unit guys on the mend is not working anymore without Brady

Kraft could not be too happy with the Ju Ju or James Robinson signings after being checked out at health express.

It is a long season, but Belichick no longer gives me the confidence that we will turn it around anymore

Just being honest

 

[yukon cornelius]

BOB should have stood up to Bill and demanded Pop reenter the game as a WR.

BOB is a hardass, too......maybe it was his call?

 

[Kdo5]

Hard to blame Mac or BoB much at the moment. Look at the offensive line situation they were left with.

 

[Triumph]

Noticed that he is fat and starting to wear sweatshirts.

 

[signbabybrady]

A lot of OL blame in this thread. Not unwarranted but the oline was a mess last year too yet somehow BoB looks worse than Matty P so far.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Tough to make dinner with poop... Or however that expression goes...

 

[Kontradiction]

He’s light years better than Patricia. Unfortunately, he’s been saddled with an OL that has no depth. They can’t open holes for Rham and they can’t hold up in pass pro, which limits him as a play caller and limits Mac. He’s fine. You can do a whole lot worse than BOB.

 

[Rob0729]

I think he is doing the best he can with what he has been given. Which is an upgrade from Patricia right there. You can't do play action if you can't run and the o-line is a siv. He did a great job week #1 minimizing the fact that the o-line really couldn't block anyone. But you couldn't overcome how bad the o-line played on Sunday. May be the worst I have ever seen. I lost count of how many o-linemen ended up on the ground on plays during that game.

 

[Patriot Missile]

He’s trending the team in the right direction. I know people are mad they are 0-2 but they’ve basically lost by a td to superior talented teams. I knew going in this team was going to have a tough year and of course you want your team to make the playoffs but honestly I was just hoping to get better as the season went along and compete with the elite teams by midseason.

Despite the oline which is holding this team back big time, they have competed with elite teams. Yes the story of the season so far has been the “moral victory”card. But it’s better than last season by a country mile with the passing game. Running game has regressed for some reason. …….oline? Playcalling?

I’m thinking Mac and the receivers are going to continue to improve and the running game is going to accelerate. How much Mac improves will be as much coaching as he can take. He definitely needs some wins to get a big confidence boost, seems like he is taking the losses pretty hard. He needs a come from behind win on his belt.

These short training camps are a detriment to coaches who are really good at what they do. I think Obrien has done good job so far. They all just need more time and I’m not sure if it was ken or whoever that said “September is an extended month of preseason.” Feels like it.

Overall I guess the whole offense falls under O’brien? So do we point fingers at Bob or Klemm. They really were dealt a ****ty hand with that bunch but they took the job so? Still don’t know why they got rid of cap friendly Mason for a 5th. That would be one less problem and that’s on BB.

 

[RIpats88]

Offense still looks night and day compared to last season. At least looks like an offense even if they fall short.

But much like with Mac, not much you can do when your OL can't block and you can't run. And you don't have any explosive players on offense