Sadly, Jacky will indeed be proven correct, unless...
1) BB removes play-calling responsibilities from his underqualified, overmatched stooge McDaniels. That this guy is OC of the NEP is mind-boggling. Someone with OC/HC experience should have been hired during the offseason. Arrogance.
2) Think of more creative ways to do so, but run the damn ball more. Not just up the middle, either, esp. with Maroney. Install the stretch, the power sweep, the quick toss, anything to get Maroney in space, and to get the defense thinking. Here's a thought: how about Dillon, Faulk and Maroney in the backfield at the same time? That should have been a no-brainer.
3) Doug Gabriel, he of the 13 Wonderlic, either stays focused or stays off the field.
4) Ben Watson takes a little pride in his blocking. And Grahambo stays healthy.
5) Chad Jackson gives BB more reason to put him, and his home-run ability, on the field.
6) TB stops doing his Drew Bledsoe impersonation, and starts moving outside more, using designed rollouts, selling play-action better, trying stretch-style handoffs, etc.
7) Richard $eemore starts earning his holdout-driven, Meion Branch-creating money, finally.
8) Marquise Hill is released, and replaced with a legitimate backup NT.
9) Dean Pees and BB create more exotic, and probably more risky, blitz packages. It is nearly metaphysically impossible for pressure on the QB to be derived solely from 3 big, run-stopping DLmen. Try double-blitzing from the same side, CB blitzing, Y'all Come, etc. The same old, same old, isn't cutting the mustard.
10) The defense finds a way to get off the field on 3rd downs, otherwise these old, slow LBs, with only 1(!) proven backup, will pass out from exhaustion. Alexander, Mays and Woods somehow must be given snaps with the regulars, esp. Alexander. Time to fish or cut bait with him.
11) Harrison and Wilson return to health, and dial the way-back machine to 2003 and 2004, while Samuels and Hobbs recreate the Bengals and Bills games - for the next 7+ weeks.
12) Don Davis and Larry Izzo are released. Their ST "contributions" are less than nothing. I would rather have Isaiah Kacyvenski and Monte Beisel on STs than these 2 old, slow, small has-beens.
If the pats can implement some of these suggestions on both sides of the ball, then they will at least be headed in the right direction. Whether they will be enough to overcome Indy, Denver, SD, Baltimore, Chicago, Miami, and Jax remains to be seen. That's why they play the games.
