Has the NFL only helped the Patriots?

[DynastyDriven]

Has the NFL only helped the Patriots?

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_528149.html

By Mike Prisuta
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, September 19, 2007


Commissioner Roger Goodell may need more information regarding recent activities of the New England Patriots, but others who draw a paycheck for NFL-related activities have seen all they need to see.
Reaction in the scouting community to the Pats' Sunday night pummeling of San Diego can be summarized in two words:

"Holy (expletive)."

From Tom Brady to Randy Moss to Adalius Thomas, the Patriots were as impressive on the field as owner Bob Kraft was seemingly insincere during his halftime interview with Al Michaels regarding what was and was not known in advance of "Videotape-Gate."

New England delivered as advertised.
The really bad news for the rest of the league is the Patriots have clearly rallied around their head coach and one another thanks to the controversy and subsequent disciplinary action handed down from Goodell.

Bill Belichick need no longer concern himself with artificially fostering that us-against-the-world mentality so many coaches seem so desperate to create.

The NFL has done that for him.

It appears as if the Pats are now committed to taking out their anger/frustration/contempt on the rest of the league.

And if that's the case, it's not too soon to contemplate the possibility of New England going undefeated.

Already, the Patriots' legend is growing in places where talent evaluators gather to quench their thirsts or pass the time in lieu of grading prospects at schools that don't actually have any.

The best of such stories being bandied about by scouts maintains Brady, who is permitted to run the offensive meeting once a week in training camp, called out Moss on one occasion and told him, in effect, if he didn't run his routes the way he's supposed to run them he wasn't going to get the ball.

That's the same Moss who had became infamous in the scouting community last season for allegedly refusing to run onto the dirt portion of the baseball diamond on the field in Oakland.

The same one who caught two TD passes from and shared one sideline embrace with Brady in Sunday night's 38-14 destruction of San Diego.

Uh-oh.

 

[PatsMan26]

Overall i don't think anything good could come out of this. Although everybody "disrespecting" the Pats might give them something extra in terms of motivation, I think I would have prefered to not have this happen. This team would be just as talented if they weren't called cheaters.

 

[WhiZa]

I do love the extra motivation, but not as much as I love a 1st round pick!

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

The loss of the pick was a bonehead move by the coach.......... But, I gotta be honest, if it comes down to giving a second #1 guaranteed cash next year and re-signing Randy to a long-term deal. I gotta believe the free agent way is the way to go.

Then again, I've never been high on having 2 #1's cause they just cost too much. I know, I know, the Pats are the best at % success with their #1's, but still. It's a lot of money upfront on what amounts to............. A PROJECT.

I truly believe they would have traded that second #1 to a 2 and 3, but still, when it comes down to it.......... That number 1 loss won't cripple us.

 

[Captain Cool]

It is way too early for anybody to talk about an undefeated season. A lot has to go right for that to happen, including a fair bit of luck. These are the best (or most talented) bunch of Patriots that we have ever seen here, and they look great, but I don't buy the undefeated season talk.

I will agree that the one thing that they were missing before this crazy episodewas the disrespect that they are getting now. It has helped in the past with the Patriots players that play based on emotion (Harrison and Bruschi most prominently).