Pats might still be 3-2 if Brady were playing

[ScottieC]

Don't get me wrong..I am 100% in the Cassell sucks camp and NEVER wanted him to start at QB for this team...but...

The defense has been so mediocre or poor and the OL has been so bad, that even with Tom Brady the PATS might have lost to both Miami and SD.

When will BB get some legitimate criticism for a HORRIBLE offseason?

1. failed to adress CB situation properly..there were some options out there (e.g. Lito Shephard)
2. Failed to get a veteran backup QB who doesn't sit down in a tuck when there is any pressure
3. Did not draft or get any quality O-line members


Are we witnessing the "cleveland Browns BB"

And if a tree falls in the woods and no is there to hear it does it make a sound?

 

[jmt57]

With Brady still playing we'd be 5-0, averaging 35+ points per game giving the D the opportunity to play with a lead, and with opponents knowing that they were likely to lose before ever stepping foot out onto the field.

With Cassel playing, we're lucky to be 3-2, it's an oddity that we'll score more than 19 points per game, the Pats D is tired from being out on the field so long because the O is so inept, and opponents believe they are going to beat us before they even step foot out onto the field.

Cassel has not played well, but there bigger problems are the offensive line and the entire defense. The Pats rank 7th in the NFL in time of possession, averaging 32:03 per game. The team ranks 12th in 3rd down percentage and 14th in first downs per game - down significantly from last year, but still above average. Yesterday the Pats controlled the ball for 31:34 and ran 64 plays, compared to 55 by the Chargers. There is a big problem with finishing drives off, but there is an even bigger problem with the defense creating no pressure and giving up 89 points in the last three games. The blame for the play of the defense is their execution and/or scheme - not the offense. It's not realistic to expect a team to score 35 points per game, and the defense shouldn't need that many points to win. No NFL team is going to win very often when their defense allows over 400 yards, over 7 yards per snap.

 

[patsfan55]

I'm sorry, but you haven't been watching the games. The defense is getting lit up because the front 7 isn't getting consistent pressure on the QB. The defense is getting lit up because the CBs are still playing 10 yards off the receivers and not playing in press coverage and bumping the receivers at the line. The defense is getting lit up because they aren't making the plays they need to make.

As for the offense, they aren't getting it done because of the inconsistent play from the O-line. And it hasn't mattered if they were run blocking or pass blockings. Its been inconsistent.

Has Cassel helped matters? Nope. But he's not hurt them as much as people think.

EXACTLY. Personally I feel these problems were there before just this year. But, they're more visible now that Brady is gone. How? The o-line looks worse, because the best qb in the world isn't back there reading the defense in .2 seconds. How? The defense isn't put in situations where the opponent is faced having to be one-dimensional. Hopefully this season acts like 2002 and opens BB and Pioli's eyes a little more to some glaring problems that I along with others in here have been fearing existed but were somewhat masked.

 

[ALP]

Don't get me wrong..I am 100% in the Cassell sucks camp and NEVER wanted him to start at QB for this team...but...

The defense has been so mediocre or poor and the OL has been so bad, that even with Tom Brady the PATS might have lost to both Miami and SD.

When will BB get some legitimate criticism for a HORRIBLE offseason?

1. failed to adress CB situation properly..there were some options out there (e.g. Lito Shephard)
2. Failed to get a veteran backup QB who doesn't sit down in a tuck when there is any pressure
3. Did not draft or get any quality O-line members


Are we witnessing the "cleveland Browns BB"

stop talking sense

 

[PATRIOT64]

Let the truth be known


This team is TOM BRADY'S team ..not Bill Belichicks's team and it is beginning to show its cracks immediately once Brady was not around to carry the team anymore.

Brady hid alot of this team's weaknesses by being so good for so long and keeping the offense scoring enough to cover up the defense's deficiences- and now that Brady is not here its so long to this season for the Patriots SB quest.

Belichick is not a HOF coach without Brady as his QB all these years - He would still be among the better of the HCs in this league but I do not think he would be anywhere near what he is today without Tom as his QB.

Show me a coach who can get a team to perform so well that they make a run to the AFC Championship with Reche bug eyes Caldwell and an aging mid 30s Troy Brown as his two top receivers - without Tom the 2006 season would have been a pure disaster - BB or no BB as coach,if Tom was not the QB 2006 would have been a transition year for the offense instead of a few plays from the SB.