Is Bill Belichick Getting Off Easy?

[BelichickFan]

I rest two decisions squarely on the shoulders of BB in this game:

1. 4th & 13. Punt or FG is the better call. Said it then, saying it now.

2. Not running at least once with 1st & Goal from the 6 with 2:40 to play. The way the offense was moving and Pats defense was playing, you had to think that even if you don't score a 3 yard run was a win on first down. Milk clock or force NYG to burn TO, and still have two more cracks to score. Pass-pass on 1-2 was a bad decision.

On #1 I would have tried the FG although Belichick may have been wigged out by Gotti's stupid kickoff out of bounds earlier.

#2 is tough. In some ways I agree with you but from the 6 you hate to give away scoring chances. If you run once you only have two shots in the end zone then you're kicking the FG and the NYG have over 2 minutes and 2 timeouts (assuming we just run once) only needing a FG. I agree with you somewhat but I think in that spot you have to make sure you get the 7 points. Too bad we weren't on the 3 or so, then a few runs would have been much more reasonable.

 

[richpats]

We have about 6 more years with Brady, we should win one more. I can't believe that some people are so spoiled that 3 SB wins isn't enough now.

So taking for granted that we win another isn't spoiled?

I'm pissed that we let the Giants hang around long enough to pull the upset. Just like I was pissed that we let Indy come back from 18 down. This has nothing to do with getting a 4th or 5th title, it's about finishing the job when the opportunity is there.

I don't feel any better about what has happened just because NE won 3 SB titles. In fact it makes me feel worse.

 

[BelichickFan]

So taking for granted that we win another isn't spoiled?

I'm pissed that we let the Giants hang around long enough to pull the upset. Just like I was pissed that we let Indy come back from 18 down. This has nothing to do with getting a 4th or 5th title, it's about finishing the job when the opportunity is there.

I don't feel any better about what has happened just because NE won 3 SB titles. In fact it makes me feel worse.

I would have liked to win as much as anyone. But there's a winner and a loser in SB. Under Belichick we were the winner the first three times. The fourth we lost. 75%. I'm good with that.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I agree with the FG non-attempt and said so at the time.

But, the D just had to keep them out of the end zone on that last drive. That freak play for 35 yards was the undoing - nothing else. And, maybe calling the blitz leaving Hobbs one on one with Plax.

 

[SVN]

Jesus, can anybody suggest that Belichick screwed up without everybody taking it as a call for his head? The criticism for this loss is justified - his team didn't finish the game or the season after being in position to do so.

To think that ANY coach could lose a shot at a perfect season in the SB is unimaginable.

so can you please suggest what should be done to say "he is not getting off easy"
its okay to start a thread with a title like this but please provide a solution. what should be done then. Call him out ? havent fans and media done it at all ?

 

[SVN]

On #1 I would have tried the FG although Belichick may have been wigged out by Gotti's stupid kickoff out of bounds earlier.

#2 is tough. In some ways I agree with you but from the 6 you hate to give away scoring chances. If you run once you only have two shots in the end zone then you're kicking the FG and the NYG have over 2 minutes and 2 timeouts (assuming we just run once) only needing a FG. I agree with you somewhat but I think in that spot you have to make sure you get the 7 points. Too bad we weren't on the 3 or so, then a few runs would have been much more reasonable.

# 1 i agree
# 2 i dont. If god forbid maroney fumbles , we will be saying BB shouldve put the ball in his best players hands which is brady.
We let eli manning who had 150 yards of total offense in the 1st 3 quarters have 100 odd in the 4th.without timeouts to complete a 87 yard drive. cant blame it on offense at that point.

 

[tombonneau]

I would have liked to win as much as anyone. But there's a winner and a loser in SB. Under Belichick we were the winner the first three times. The fourth we lost. 75%. I'm good with that.

I agree. Since the last SB win, the Pats playoff records are:

1-1
2-1
2-1

5-3 over a three year span in the playoffs is pretty good. I'd guess its still more playoff wins and a better % than any other coach in the league the past 3 years.

Hell, Dungy is 3-2 and that's with going 3-0 in 2006.

 

[richpats]

so can you please suggest what should be done to say "he is not getting off easy"
its okay to start a thread with a title like this but please provide a solution. what should be done then. Call him out ? havent fans and media done it at all ?

First, you should address the OP. Next, we are FANS. We can raise concerns without having all the answers. It's a messageboard for crying out loud.

 

[tombonneau]

# 2 i dont. If got forbid maroney fumbles , we will be saying BB shouldve put the ball in his best players hands which is brady.
We let eli manning who had 150 yards of total offense in the 1st 3 quarters have 100 odd in the 4th.without timeouts to complete a 87 yard drive. cant blame it on offense at that point.

Maroney didn't fumble all year. I'd say based on the AFC Championship game, the odds were higher that Brady would throw a pick in the end zone.

And Brady was not our best player that Sunday. It was Welker.

 

[SVN]

First, you should address the OP. Next, we are FANS. We can raise concerns without having all the answers. It's a messageboard for crying out loud.

sure we all raise concerns. so what is the concern being raised ? i still dont get it. disgust over the calls BB made ? yes. but i dont get the concern part. that BB lost the game for us ? i think that has been suggested more than once on this board and elsewhere.

 

[richpats]

I agree. Since the last SB win, the Pats playoff records are:

1-1
2-1
2-1

5-3 over a three year span in the playoffs is pretty good. I'd guess its still more playoff wins and a better % than any other coach in the league the past 3 years.

Hell, Dungy is 3-2 and that's with going 3-0 in 2006.

Tom Coughlin, Bill Cowher and Tony Dungy have a better % than Bill Belichick the last 3 years - guess what else they have in common?

Belichick and Holmgren are the only coaches to lose in the playoffs 3 years running - our playoff performance over that span is more comparable to Seattle than any other team.

 

[BelichickFan]

I agree. Since the last SB win, the Pats playoff records are:

1-1
2-1
2-1

5-3 over a three year span in the playoffs is pretty good. I'd guess its still more playoff wins and a better % than any other coach in the league the past 3 years.

Hell, Dungy is 3-2 and that's with going 3-0 in 2006.

We really are spoiled. People also forget the past playoff wins weren't automatic.

Tuck Rule Game - enough said.
Tennessee in 2003 - could have gone either way.

That's two of our SB that we could have not even been in.

2004 was a little more secure. But playoff games are tough. Almost all of them. Being 5-3 sucks compared to the 9-0 we were in 2001, 2003, 2004 but even with Belichick 9-0 isn't reasonable as we're now finding out. He's not God, he's just the best coach we could hope for.

 

[SVN]

Maroney didn't fumble all year. I'd say based on the AFC Championship game, the odds were higher that Brady would throw a pick in the end zone.

And Brady was not our best player that Sunday. It was Welker.

could be, but it could also be that the giants expect the pats to run and stack the box and limit them to a FG to tie the game. so if we had lost yards in the process of running the ball it wouldve been tougher to score. i personally always think you should score when you can when you are behind and let the D play it out.
Remember the colts,chargers game ? how Adam V missed a chip shot 20 yard FG when dungy took timeouts and ensured there was no time left inspite of his D playing very well in that game ?

 

[richpats]

sure we all raise concerns. so what is the concern being raised ? i still dont get it. disgust over the calls BB made ? yes. but i dont get the concern part. that BB lost the game for us ? i think that has been suggested more than once on this board and elsewhere.

My personal take - the coordinators need to improve their performance in the playoffs. So, that being said, they either will continue to give us heartbreaking losses or get over the hump and deliver a Lombardi. At this point we have to consider both in the future for the Pats.

 

[BelichickFan]

Tom Coughlin, Bill Cowher and Tony Dungy have a better % than Bill Belichick the last 3 years - guess what else they have in common?

Coughlin, Cowher, Dungy - what do they have in common ? They've won as many SB COMBINED as Belichick has by himself.

 

[SVN]

My personal take - the coordinators need to improve their performance in the playoffs. So, that being said, they either will continue to give us heartbreaking losses or get over the hump and deliver a Lombardi. At this point we have to consider both in the future for the Pats.

agree but look at the other side. BB has brought an entire new staff to the SB than he did the last time. Almost an entirely different offense than last yr.
You think if you set the same set of players on offens eunder another coaching staff they wouldve changed up their schemes so much to go with the spread offense and scored a lot of points like we did. Hardly. BB adapts to the situation openly and that is why i expect him to fix his defensive issues this yr or at least try to.
Also remember , we were very lucky with injuries this yr. Who knows how we will be next yr.

 

[richpats]

He's not God, he's just the best coach we could hope for.

The problem I have is that Belichick screwed up 2 games that NO coach has any business losing. He's a great coach, but his collapses are HISTORIC.

 

[richpats]

Coughlin, Cowher, Dungy - what do they have in common ? They've won as many SB COMBINED as Belichick has by himself.

It saddens me that a lot of fans just shrug off the EXISTING trends and go strictly after historical numbers.

Those coaches also managed to go on a 4-game playoff run, Belichick has never done that.

 

[tombonneau]

Tom Coughlin, Bill Cowher and Tony Dungy have a better % than Bill Belichick the last 3 years - guess what else they have in common?

Belichick and Holmgren are the only coaches to lose in the playoffs 3 years running - our playoff performance over that span is more comparable to Seattle than any other team.

5-3 (.625) > 3-2 (.600)

Also, BB has never lost a playoff game at home. Dungy squandered first round byes losing at home 2 of last 3 seasons.

I won't even address Coughlin & Cowher as they are not as applicable.

Also, ask Seahawk fans who has had the better last 3 seasons ...

 

[tombonneau]

could be, but it could also be that the giants expect the pats to run and stack the box and limit them to a FG to tie the game. so if we had lost yards in the process of running the ball it wouldve been tougher to score. i personally always think you should score when you can when you are behind and let the D play it out.
Remember the colts,chargers game ? how Adam V missed a chip shot 20 yard FG when dungy took timeouts and ensured there was no time left inspite of his D playing very well in that game ?

I can see both sides ... I certainly don't think it lost us the game, but at the time I would have preferred a run on first. And the way it worked out, 20-20 hindsight, the team would have been better off.

I just think that given the Giants D was literally dropping like flies as the Pats got in the red zone, you have to be extremely confident that you can score a TD in three plays, regardless of the pass-run combo on those downs. So why not run it at least once?