It is OK to question WTF is going on, right?

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Interesting concept

The Pats are 0-3 the past 3 years so make some changes.

Well, isn't not re-signing a CB who wants $10MM per year a "change"? It's also the same guy who missed a late 4th qtr interception that should have been intercepted and would have made the Pats 1-3?

 

[NordicVoyager]

All we've lost from the OL is Neal.
We lost our best CB but couldn't just sign an equal one so we have a high draft pick replacing him.
The backup QB is the same as last year.

Relax.

I could not agree with you more. Plus the worriers on this board forget about the young potential that we now have at the linebacker position. People here quickly forget how many of our top draft picks in BB / Pioli's first years were spent on the defensive line.

Do people at all notice how there have been few picks expended in that area in the past two years? This great drafting experience has enabled both the massive improvements in the offense and getting younger in the back 7/8.

Do people remember at all the gasps when the drafting of Logan Mankins was announced? Just a few years later he is an All-Pro and clearly one of the best offensive gaurds in the game today. Hopefully, he will continue to be for the next decade or so.

I have great hopes for Mayo and the other young linebackers. While there no doubt will be some games early on where many of the nay sayers on this site will wish for the stout tackling of Ted Johnson, with time I suspect that young Mr. Mayo will become a fan favorite.

My only request is that the instant (as in right now!!!) satisfaction of the Patriots fans relax a bit and let this potential star to develop. He has the potential to be a truly great Patriot (even in the mind of this fan to challenge the legacy of OL John Hannah.)

So folks relax... The key issue for the period of the next sixteen regular season games is to be good enough to qualify for the play-offs. My guess is that the Patriots therefore need to go at least 12-4. Are they better than that? Heck yes!

However, they might lose an unexpected game here or there as the youth on the roster makes one mistake after another. One thing though that we have learned over the years is that those mistakes will not be repeated more than a second time.

Am I happy with this mix of experienced veterans and raw rookies/young players? No, I am not. However, I think that genius of BB and Pioli is that they learn from their respected friends in the college coaching ranks.

Would you not want to be a fly on the proverbial wall as Charlie Weis shares his knowledge of what it is key to keeping Notre Dame a football power with a squad that turns over every three years or so? Or what various other branches of the BB share with their mentor?

BB consistently spends time learning from others. Although he is damn good (and quite frankly rather amazing), he readily admits that he does not have all of the answers. He too is entitled to make a mistake (or two or three).

As fans of the New England Patriots, we have been spoiled by how good the fortuitous combination of BB and Tom Brady truly have been. Both might now be rising to their respective primes. Just relax a bit, exhale, exhale again and say thanks to the Higher Power that NE Patriots will again become Super Bowl champs!!

I, for one, am very excited about the forthcoming season. There no doubt will be many twists and turns. However, what other head coach and what other quarterback do you want to be heading your team???

As BelichickFan said above, Relax!!! I hope that you enjoy the perspective of the next 17 weeks as the Patriots achieve a record of at least 12-4. For the first part of the 2008 journey, that will be a success. Relax!!

 

[Ring 6]

I know it is BB and Pioloi...but BB first proved to us during the Super Bowl last year that he is no longer perfect.

When they let Samuel and Gay go, we said he has a plan.

The free agent signings have been awful.... Webster and Lynch and Victor Hobson an F...right...

Backup quarterback....sorry....Casell is not adequate.


the CB situation now is just downright ridiculous. Hobbs and an untested rookie...and when one of them gets injured forget about pass defense.



Offensive line...signing Mark Levoir is that the answer?

Way too many serious questions going into this year...far more than in past years....just starting to feel like the Patriots may have "jumped the shark"

I didnt realize that my confidence in BBs plan depended upon you understanding or agreeing with it.
We brought in 3 veteran corners, and drafted 2. 1 veteran of the 3 made it (no surprise there, and we have signed another) and both rookie corners are in the mix.
Signing an OL to fill in while players are injured as the last man off the bench isnt even worth a discussion.
I guess your expectations are that everyone BB signs as a vet minimum FA is supposed to be a starter, and superstar? The guy who were signed as FA and cut were guys signed to compete for a roster spot. Some made it some didnt.
As far as backup QB, until we reach the point where BB puts one out on the field, and we can judge his decision with something real, I'll trust him. He did OK with that backup QB no one thought belonger back in 2001.

 

[Ring 6]

The point I'm trying to make with that statement is that every move the Pats make, these fans think it's the right move. Everyone makes mistakes and some people on this board fail to realize that Bill and Scott aren't perfect. Whatever they have done the past three seasons, has not worked. They need to make some changes in personel decisions.

Huh?
Divisional playoffs in 05
AFCC in 06
SB in 07 and 18-1.

I would say the personell decisions are pretty damn good.
They are 2 plays away from winning the SB 2 of 3 years. I dont think you can grade the personell decisions that lead to that with anything less than an A+

 

[Sicilian]

Huh?
Divisional playoffs in 05
AFCC in 06
SB in 07 and 18-1.

I would say the personell decisions are pretty damn good.
They are 2 plays away from winning the SB 2 of 3 years. I dont think you can grade the personell decisions that lead to that with anything less than an A+

I think the problem is most people look at things like, "We let Branch go, then needed a little more offense and that cost us the Super Bowl!"... when in reality the Patriots think in terms of a much larger picture.

They want to compete every year, and when faced with the choice between being dominant in the short term, or competitive in the long term, it's an easy decision.

 

[blackglass3]

Huh?
Divisional playoffs in 05
AFCC in 06
SB in 07 and 18-1.

I would say the personell decisions are pretty damn good.
They are 2 plays away from winning the SB 2 of 3 years. I dont think you can grade the personell decisions that lead to that with anything less than an A+

This could not have been put any better. Don't people realise that while we are b!tching about not going undefeated this past year and not winning the SB the year before, other teams fans are hoping for playoff berths.

You think BB and SP lost thier touch or got lucky. Go be a Chiefs fan. Go be a Lions fan. Deal with year after year of poor personel, bad teams, and no future. Then see how much you think BB and SP are off base.

 

[BelichickFan]

They are 2 plays away from winning the SB 2 of 3 years.

And probably that crazy PI against Samuel vs. Denver from winning the year before given that Pitt and Seattle were all that stood in the way.

We've been in position to win the SB 6 of the past 7 years. Unfortunately the other playoff teams are good too and there's little margin for error. With about 5 years left of Brady, hopefully we'll be in position the next 5 years and the play here or there will go our way.

 

[fgssand]

There is not a better coach in the NFL right now than Bill Belicheck. But he makes some really weird personel moves from time to time. In fact, their organization has been 0-3 since 2004. The Pats fail to realize that this isn't 2001 anymore where they can sign chumps and magically win a superbowl. That year was a fluke, the talent around the NFL was not as good as it is today yet they still keep going the cheap route. Way to try to replace Samuel with Fernando Bryant and Jason Webster; look how that worked out! Their plan backfired in '05 and '06 but '07 was a fantastic year for the front office. The point is, if they expect to win a superbowl, their going to have spend a little more money on players than scrubs listed above. Look for their plan to really backfire this season. I have said it over and over again, their secondary is going to get torched.

Yes you have said it over and over and it's time to call you out on it....

First, define what you would call a "backfired plan" for this year is?

Then, maybe we can have a fun little wager - sort of in the style of a little donation to Miguels sister's food pantry??

 

[Deus Irae]

And probably that crazy PI against Samuel vs. Denver from winning the year before given that Pitt and Seattle were all that stood in the way.

We've been in position to win the SB 6 of the past 7 years. Unfortunately the other playoff teams are good too and there's little margin for error. With about 5 years left of Brady, hopefully we'll be in position the next 5 years and the play here or there will go our way.

But this shouldn't stop people from pointing out obvious (or seemingly obvious to the poster, if you prefer) blunders made by this front office. It's one thing to give the benefit of the doubt, but it's another thing to act as a rubber stamp and apologist. We've got a lot of people on this board that whine just to whine, and we've got a lot of others who might as well be on the team payroll because they've sold their soul.

 

[emoney_33]

Thats good for you if you feel comfortable and relaxed about our corner back situation. We lost Asante one of the better corners in a league, a proven play maker and in return we have an unproven rookie being forced to start on week 1. It has been a very significant downgrade.

fgssand, I was certainly not one of the people trashing Asante. I've liked him for quite a while and when some idiots were saying that Hobbs might be better than Samuel back before 2006 I disagreed.

Asante didn't start in his rookie year. 2003, the corners were Law and Poole. He did start in 2004 after injuries rattled our starters and he did a solid job. Even so it wasn't like he was great in 2004 or even early 2005 for that matter. Wheately may turn out to be a very good player but I am not sure it will happen this year when we have so little depth at corner.

I see many people feel like we have little to worry about. Hopefully you're all right.

I'm one of those "idiots" as you say, and will argue it to this day. Hobbs is the better overall cornerback. Samuel was more "productive" in the sense of INTs in the style of defense we played (which was adjusted to fit Samuel's skill set and hide his shortcomings.)

 

[Sicilian]

But this shouldn't stop people from pointing out obvious blunders made by this front office. It's one thing to give the benefit of the doubt, but it's another thing to act as a rubber stamp and apologist. We've got a lot of people on this board that whine just to whine, and we've got a lot of others who might as well be on the team payroll because they've sold their soul.

But too often what happens is people assume something is a blunder because they don't know much about a player, or really liked a player the Pats let go. Just like the draft, you can't judge a move on the day it is made most times.

You're right, there are extremes on both sides, and they both need to gravitate towards the middle. But it's hard because once someone starts screaming about how stupid a particular move is, the level headed people end up becoming "apologists" because any rational argument automatically gets labeled that way anyway.

 

[marcus]

OK and the personnel moves the last week do not smack of some desparation?


Deltha Oneil=Duane Starks=Chad Scott=Fernando Bryant

They had the whole offseason to plan and adjust for the loss of A.S.
BB/Pioli whiffed on free agents, even tehy woould admit that. The cornerback situation for a team at teh level of teh Patriots is not good.


We will see how they do...but don't count on the superbowl this year and don't count on a shut down defense.

 

[BelichickFan]

But this shouldn't stop people from pointing out obvious blunders made by this front office. It's one thing to give the benefit of the doubt, but it's another thing to act as a rubber stamp and apologist. We've got a lot of people on this board that whine just to whine, and we've got a lot of others who might as well be on the team payroll because they've sold their soul.

Fine but the whining NOW is crap.

Again, all the OL has lost is the oft injured Neal.
The backup QB is the same
VERY few wanted Samuel to be paid that money here and we used a high pick on his replacement.

 

[Sicilian]

OK and the personnel moves the last week do not smack of some desparation?


Deltha Oneil=Duane Starks=Chad Scott=Fernando Bryant

They had the whole offseason to plan and adjust for the loss of A.S.
BB/Pioli whiffed on free agents, even tehy woould admit that. The cornerback situation for a team at teh level of teh Patriots is not good.


We will see how they do...but don't count on the superbowl this year and don't count on a shut down defense.

Except O'Neal wasn't even available until this week, and Lewis Sanders made the team as a free agent. They brought in 3 FAs and 2 draft picks, and good for the rookies they beat out the vets. Then a cut happens. Who's to say if O'Neal were available at the beginning of free agency, that the Pats wouldn't have picked him up instead of Bryant?

 

[MoLewisrocks]

OK and the personnel moves the last week do not smack of some desparation?


Deltha Oneil=Duane Starks=Chad Scott=Fernando Bryant

They had the whole offseason to plan and adjust for the loss of A.S.
BB/Pioli whiffed on free agents, even tehy woould admit that. The cornerback situation for a team at teh level of teh Patriots is not good.


We will see how they do...but don't count on the superbowl this year and don't count on a shut down defense.

Since it seems to bother you so much, if I were you then I'd start looking for a team that offers a better shot at that somewhere else now... Let us know when you find it,

 

[emoney_33]

Just like in 2006 when Belichick traded Branch and left us with no credible threat at WR, costing us regular season wins and ultimately the AFC championship?

For every controversial decision that worked out there has been one that ended up biting him. For every intentional safety there is a 4th-and-13.

What does this say about him? He's not afraid to make tough decisions, though whether they are for the best can be debatable. Just look at the Vinatieri situation.

Didn't Branch DROP a crucial pass late in the Broncos game the year before? Not having Branch is NOT what lost us the 06 AFCCG btw.

Also we have not missed that traitor of a kicker, seriously. That is not a "situation" nor a "debate".

 

[Deus Irae]

Fine but the whining NOW is crap.

Again, all the OL has lost is the oft injured Neal.
The backup QB is the same
VERY few wanted Samuel to be paid that money here and we used a high pick on his replacement.

But clearly the team failed to find an adequate veteran replacement. So, you now have a rookie starter and a rookie nickel/dime back, along with a veteran that many here don't have any faith in.

If this were the Jets doing to their CB corps what the Patriots are doing, you'd be laughing your ass off and calling their front office incompetent.

 

[emoney_33]

Yeah and what will happen when inevitably one or two of our four corner backs gets hurt? I'd take 2004 Asante and Blue over two rookies or one rookie and Lewis Sanders.

04' Asante wasn't really that good at all. Back then he was losing balls in the sun and looking like a guy that lost his glasses when the ball was in the air.

 

[richpats]

Didn't Branch DROP a crucial pass late in the Broncos game the year before? Not having Branch is NOT what lost us the 06 AFCCG btw.

Also we have not missed that traitor of a kicker, seriously. That is not a "situation" nor a "debate".

It wasn't Branch, it was GIVENS. So do you think Branch misses a wide-open pass like Caldwell did?

Did you miss those 3 points in the Super Bowl? I do.

 

[Pats67]

They had the whole offseason to plan and adjust for the loss of A.S.
BB/Pioli whiffed on free agents, even tehy woould admit that. The cornerback situation for a team at teh level of teh Patriots is not good.

Neither is your keyboard situation, apparently.

To me, this thread hit the ****ter as soon as this line was typed:

BB first proved to us during the Super Bowl last year that he is no longer perfect.

"No longer perfect." Oh, Christ, my sides hurt. From laughing, from crying.....there's no other proper response to that kind of statement.

You'd have to be some kind of blithering idiot to hold anyone to that standard. That's your problem, not the Patriots or Belichick. That one's on you.