Great article from Mike Reiss detailing the timeline of the fall

[Rob0729]

Duggar and Onwenu are also likely gone this year. leaving holes on the OL/safety.

why Bill didn't lock them up?

poor drafts
when you do draft good players, let them leave
hiring DC/Special teams coaches for offense because they are cheap
hiring OC's because you are familiar with them
stocking roster full of average/below average talent because (we can coach them up!)

what part of the last 5-8 years gives anyone confidence in Bill?

Belichick’s refusal to pay most players under contract a new deal before they hit free agency was a flaw of his from day one. He could have locked up Duggar and Owenu two years ago for cheaper extensions and even if he over paid at the time their extensions would be well below market value now because of the cap expansion are driving up salaries every year.

 

[Tunescribe]

Belichick’s refusal to pay most players under contract a new deal before they hit free agency was a flaw of his from day one. He could have locked up Duggar and Owenu two years ago for cheaper extensions and even if he over paid at the time their extensions would be well below market value now because of the cap expansion are driving up salaries every year.

Attrition on the offensive line has been a huge problem for years. Not figuring out how to keep players like Thuney, Shaq Mason, etc. -- even utility guys like Ted Karras. Then you have NO dedicated OL coach last season and the Klemm abortion this year. This unit's gross mismanagement has been disastrous.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I wonder how things would have moved forward in 2021 if Cam was vaccinated. That 5 day league mandated window where he had to be away from the team swung the door wide open for Jones to take his job and he did.

Cam was better than vaxed with natural immunity from the Wuhan Lab flu.

 

[aluminum seats]

One commonly held misconception is that the Pats would have won the SB against the Eagles if only Bill had played Butler.
Butler was bad that year and it is far from a sure thing he would have been a difference maker.
Eagles offense was damn good

The Pats hadn't allowed a 300 yard passing game since October that year, with Butler playing nearly every snap. Then Foles threw for nearly 400 yards with Butler on the bench. It was a catastrophic unforced error on Belichick's part.

 

[TheRainMaker]

One commonly held misconception is that the Pats would have won the SB against the Eagles if only Bill had played Butler.
Butler was bad that year and it is far from a sure thing he would have been a difference maker.
Eagles offense was damn good

So the alternative was to put in his place the worst graded CB in the NFL on the Eagles best WR? The Philly media even had said during the week that the Eagles were going to throw at Rowe wherever he was on the field. He was responsible for 10 points early in the game. While it’s not a guarantee, but I’d rather roll with Butler than Rowe.

Regardless, the Eagles offense was a gimmick and led by a journeyman QB. Bill should’ve found a way to slow that down.

In his timeline, Reiss should have also included:

2020: Patriots wear hideous new uniforms..

The media needs to catch on to this abs help us out. It’s the only way Bob will be pressured into changing them. That and not buying those ugly jerseys.

Someone posted a video here a while back on jerseys and the 90’s are their most popular-sought after jerseys.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

So the alternative was to put in his place the worst graded CB in the NFL on the Eagles best WR? The Philly media even had said during the week that the Eagles were going to throw at Rowe wherever he was on the field. He was responsible for 10 points early in the game. While it’s not a guarantee, but I’d rather roll with Butler than Rowe.

Regardless, the Eagles offense was a gimmick and led by a journeyman QB. Bill should’ve found a way to slow that down.

The media needs to catch on to this abs help us out. It’s the only way Bob will be pressured into changing them. That and not buying those ugly jerseys.

Someone posted a video here a while back on jerseys and the 90’s are their most popular-sought after jerseys.

Someday we';ll find out the answer to the Butler-less Super Bowl.

 

[aluminum seats]

Someday we';ll find out the answer to the Butler-less Super Bowl.

There won't be any big revelation

What we do know is that Belichick's decision resulted in a Patriots Super Bowl loss, wasting an all-time great Brady performance

Now that Belichick has lost his aura of invincibility, I suspect a lot of people who defended the decision at the time probably realize what a massive mistake it was now

 

[lancerman]

Belichick’s refusal to pay most players under contract a new deal before they hit free agency was a flaw of his from day one. He could have locked up Duggar and Owenu two years ago for cheaper extensions and even if he over paid at the time their extensions would be well below market value now because of the cap expansion are driving up salaries every year.

This is something that is very understated sometimes. If you know you want to keep someone, you are way better off locking them a year or two early. It's before they have than opportunity to be part of a bidding war, you can have it factored into future gm decisions, and it's always going to look better in time as the cap increases.

It's just sort of another thing that shows me Bill as a GM was great once, but the league has been adjusting to how to work the salary cap and they eventually found a better way than the Patriots and we didn't adapt

 

[lancerman]

One commonly held misconception is that the Pats would have won the SB against the Eagles if only Bill had played Butler.
Butler was bad that year and it is far from a sure thing he would have been a difference maker.
Eagles offense was damn good

The issue was that Butler not being in the game meant a very bad CB was in the game and we were getting burned. At what point do you have to watch your defense get shredded all night in the biggest game of the year and not just make a change. Conventional wisdom says Butler would have been an upgrade, but even if you don't subscribe, it was worth making a move and changing up something there.

We arguably won Super Bowl 49 because Arrington was getting burned all night and they finally got him out of the game so someone else could try to lock down his guy. That guy we replaced him with happening to be Butler sort of makes it sting all the more. They didn't even try to adapt.

We can never predict what the outcome would be. But at that point, it was just a dumb decision. If you put Malcolm in a few plays and he's getting burned too, then you are in the same spot.

 

[carmelo15]

Just If.. now I know if, if's were a 5th we'd all be drunk. Lol.. had AB worked out we'd had gotten to another Superbowl. Even with those draft bust. As we all know TB12 was the ultimate equalizer to Bill's draft blunders. Your right the N'Keal Harry bust was just egregious.

I forget was AB even suspended for that? There was no reason to release him off accusations we got a WR1 for peanuts. Also AB and Brady clicked instantly

 

[TheRainMaker]

I forget was AB even suspended for that?

No.

 

[Wozzy]

I forget was AB even suspended for that? There was no reason to release him off accusations we got a WR1 for peanuts. Also AB and Brady clicked instantly

AB was released because the league would have suspended him for the rest of the season anyway.

He was charged with rape, knowingly lied to the Patriots about it, threatened a single mother and her children on social media and shot his way off the Raiders. That'a why no other teams signed him once the Patriots let him go.

 

[TheRainMaker]

AB was released because the league would have suspended him for the rest of the season anyway.

He was charged with rape, knowingly lied to the Patriots about it, threatened a single mother and her children on social media and shot his way off the Raiders. That'a why no other teams signed him once the Patriots let him go.

He wasn’t charged with anything. This was a civil matter in which they eventually settled. From what I remember, AB was told to ignore the noise, but he couldn’t do it.

The media absolutely forced the Pats hand.

 

[Wozzy]

He wasn’t charged with anything. This was a civil matter in which they eventually settled. From what I remember, AB was told to ignore the noise, but he couldn’t do it.

The media absolutely forced the Pats hand.

The NFL is a private business, they don't need the government's permission.

AB was about to get suspended and Kraft knew it, so he cut him loose so he could recoup some money later... which he did.

Nobody signed AB for the rest of the season for a reason.

 

[TheRainMaker]

AB was about to get suspended and Kraft knew it, so he cut him loose so he could recoup some money later... which he did.

He didn’t get suspended until the following season. He could’ve played in 2019 while their investigation was going on.

Nobody signed AB for the rest of the season for a reason.

Because he’s a terrible teammate and turned on the only guy who gave him another chance. I have no idea why Tom wanted to associate with him.

 

[Wozzy]

He didn’t get suspended until the following season. He could’ve played in 2019 while their investigation was going on.

Because he’s a terrible teammate and turned on the only guy who gave him another chance. I have no idea why Tom wanted to associate with him.

He got suspended the next season because nobody signed him in 2019... because the specter of suspension was over him.

He was a scumbag, I can't believe people think he would have saved the 2019 season. He wouldn't have.

 

[Real fan 02]

I forget was AB even suspended for that? There was no reason to release him off accusations we got a WR1 for peanuts. Also AB and Brady clicked instantly

Absolutely correct my friend.. but Bobby Kraft cares about the optics.. is the reason why AB was dumped I don't believe Bill wanted to do it.

 

[stcjones]

View attachment 55102

WTF?! Bill should be fired due to this alone!!!! Listen to your scouts you fool!!!

 

[Real fan 02]

WTF?! Bill should be fired due to this alone!!!! Listen to your scouts you fool!!!

I don't think people realize just how vital scouts are. They are people that are unseen and unheard usually publicly. But scouts often have the best Intel to provide on players. Alot of them are often Making pennies. The GM and HCs and assistants cannot properly do thier jobs without the scouts. I remember Mike Tannenbaum was saying without the work of the scouts he could not properly get a read on a player he was looking to draft or sign. Bill has had so much authority and autonomy in the organization isn't a suprise he was doing so.

 

[Real fan 02]

He got suspended the next season because nobody signed him in 2019... because the specter of suspension was over him.

He was a scumbag, I can't believe people think he would have saved the 2019 season. He wouldn't have.

And he suffering from clear CTE , so a scumbag with CTE.