Until recently I was where you seem to be
@FredFromDartmouth, but have a different opinion now. I think the results over the past 4 seasons indicate that BB is no longer able to produce results at anything close to his previous level.
I am not in the “all Brady” camp that some here seem to be, I respect tremendously what BB has accomplished in his career and additionally I find the whole attitude insulting to all of the other players, coaches, football organization members, and franchise organization members.
BB has a particular set of philosophies he believes in about how to win championships in the NFL. He has said many times that the Patriots are a “game plan team” in contrast to, for example, the Steelers who “do what they do.” To make that work he needs players who are smart and have positional and “operational” flexibility so that the Patriots can adjust their game plan to attack their opponents. He needs people who are effective teaching and coaching the players to function that way as a unit and not just as a collection of individuals. He needs scouts who have the ability to identify and properly rate prospects who can function that way. He needs to be able to do all that within a certain salary/compensation structure and have sufficient contingencies for replacement when guys get injured.
BB was masterful in being able to lead the organization to succeed in dealing with such challenges for many years but in my opinion (with very little knowledge and information as its basis) the results indicate to me that he no longer has the players, coaches, and people in his organization that he can trust and rely on to deliver the way they used to, which includes helping him to recognize his own shortcomings and biases. I would never count against him turning things around but don’t really have a great reason to believe he will.
Even Red Auerbach got to a point where his impact on the Celtics was a detriment. It happens to all of us, we just aren’t as sharp about everything as we used to be. I think BB is more likely to be in that position than he is to go somewhere else and oversee the accomplishment of another set of championships
It’s time for BB and the Patriots to move on. If he goes elsewhere I will wish him well but won’t care that he’s gone. I felt the same way about Brady. If BB stays I hope it’s in an advisory capacity only and that someone else has “final say.”