Why the Branch situation turned out worse than Milloy

[VJCPatriot]

One very simple reason. The Pats didn't buy insurance for their egg. And when the egg broke they ended up with yolk all over their face.

Let's look back to Milloy please. That year the Pats did the smart thing. They signed Rodney Harrison. At first the press was puzzled that they had two starters signed to the same position. But the Pats FO said ostensibly they were going to play the "Big Nickel" so both guys would start. But don't you think in the back of their minds they were thinking of Harrison also as insurance?

And when Milloy's contract situation didn't work out... guess who stepped up? That's right Harrison. And we won the superbowl that year if I recall correctly.

Looking back on the Branch mess though the Pats never made that crucial insurance move. Javon Walker was available if the Pats had done a little talking. So was the Saint's Donte Stallworth. And now it looks like Walker and Stallworth are off to have 1,000 yard seasons.

The Pats FO KNEW that Branch was in a contract situation. They also KNEW that they had no proven depth behind him. The Pats FO should have KNOWN better and should have prepared for the worse by shoring up that position.

As far as I know Chad Jackson might turn up better than Deion Branch... NEXT YEAR. But with him limping around and a rookie in this offense to boot doesn't help us NOW.

I'm sorry but I gotta hold the Pats FO accountable... not for not giving in to branch's contract demands but for FAILING to INSURE a position, WR, that would be vital to Tom Brady's success (and ergo the Pats offense) this season.

 

[PonyExpress]

The Pats will be fine. 13-3 is within reach, 12-4 is highly likely. This early season fear-mongering is unnecessary. How many times do they have to quiet their critics before their own fans trust their judgment? Gabriel, Jackson, Brown, Maroney, Dillon, Faulk, Brady, Mankins, Koppen are better offensive players than 25 out of 32 teams have. Once the machine starts moving it will be a joy to watch, and people will laugh remembering these supposed dark times.

 

[Hoodie]

How do we know that Branch situation turned out worse than the Milloy situation? Did I over sleep and miss the Super Bowl. Damn, I can't believe I did that again.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Gabriel looked good for one drive and then disappeared. Watson is dropping too many balls out there to make me feel comfortable with him as the go to guy, much as I like him.

I still believe that securing a starting quality wideout that would have been IN CAMP practicing with Brady would have insured the success of this offense in 2006.

I love Dillon/Maroney but look what happened when Denver keyed on the run game. Don't you think other teams will be copying the Denver blueprint to stop the Pats one dimensional offense?

 

[Hoodie]

I still believe that securing a starting quality wideout that would have been IN CAMP practicing with Brady would have insured the success of this offense in 2006.

And again I ask, how do we know that the 2006 campaign has been unsuccessful?

 

[PonyExpress]

Gabriel looked good for one drive and then disappeared. Watson is dropping too many balls out there to make me feel comfortable with him as the go to guy, much as I like him.

I still believe that securing a starting quality wideout that would have been IN CAMP practicing with Brady would have insured the success of this offense in 2006.

I love Dillon/Maroney but look what happened when Denver keyed on the run game. Don't you think other teams will be copying the Denver blueprint to stop the Pats one dimensional offense?

What I saw:
Gabriel has good hands, is tough to take down, and is a team player. Watson, in his second season, is on track for 65 catches and 800+ yards. Maroney had a tough night; following RBs throughout the years, these things happen and he could just as easily put 140 yards on the Bengals. Plus, we now know he is an able and dangerous pass catcher. Brown is still clever, Brady's "problems" are merely frustration because the moving parts of the offense are not executing properly. There is no "Denver blueprint". The Denver Blueprint by week 5 will be suicide, as Brady adjusts to the new wideouts. Each week they are improving; each week Watson, still a young player, improves; Maroney improves; Callahan improves; Mankins improves; Gabriel improves; Jackson improves. There is every reason to be optimistic. Every battle wavers between defeat and victory on both sides. The general who first believes himself defeated invariably loses.

 

[brady2brown]

Let's look back to Milloy please.

You should. Because it was a lot worse than now. Alot worse. No one is saying we lost the heart and soul of our offense. And we were 1-2 in 2003, not 2-1.

Don't try to use logic to prove doom and gloom for the Pats this year, becuase if you believe they are in trouble it is because you are ignoring the actual situation and running of out-of-control emotions and knee-jerk reactions.

Let the situation resolve itself with time, and and all will be well.

The only people panicking are the media types who prefer panic mode to analysis mode (gets more attention) and people who go bonkers whenever the Patriots lose a game, as though if they are not 16-0 they suck.

 

[upstater1]

The Milloy situation killed us. We dropped Milloy then lost 31-0 to the Bills. That season sucked.

 

[SVN]

kinda getting worn out by the branch discussions ...its over ..he is not here ..lets have fun with the new players and possibilities ..my 2 cents...

 

[TomBradyWoot]

We were never 1-2 in 2003 and when we cut Milloy we got nothing in return. At least we got a first round draft choice for Deion.

 

[Murphys95]

How do we know that Branch situation turned out worse than the Milloy situation? Did I over sleep and miss the Super Bowl. Damn, I can't believe I did that again.

I agree, this endless speculation will get us nowhere.

I also find is a bit funny that the last time the naysayers were nipping at Brady's heels was at the beginning of 2003. He had many doubters at the onset of that season, tallying the last 3 games of 2002 with the first four of 2003 to make their case that Brady was on the decline.

 

[fnordcircle]

Is this the thread where we all come to panic after losing one game?

Basically I'm pretty sure if a rookie and young prospect haven't grasped the offense and started putting up 100 yard receiving games by week 3 of their first season in a new system that the sky is falling.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

There's a point I've been wanting to make on this board about the whole Branch thing and its effect on the team that I haven't yet -- I guess this thread is as good as any.

There seems to be a raging debate of extremes on the board where some believe the FO really screwed up and others justify the Branch and other moves.

My view is that the truth is somewhere in between. The reality is that our team has had more success in the last decade than any other, and the result has been that we have had (and lost) a far greater number of beloved players than other teams even have. There is a number of reasons there are parity in the NFL, and that's one of them.

I think to try to compare the "Branch situation" the "Milloy situation" or the "Law situation" or the "McGinnest situation" or the "Vinatieri situation," etc. is artificial. I think that if you take any of these situations individually, you can defend it. And I think the current players on the team themselves understand that. However, I also think it's crystal clear that with the Branch departure, the situation hit something of a critical mass and spilled over. That is, it's not the Branch situation itself that has caused some problems, but instead it's the cumulative effect of the situations of which Branch is the last.

Again, we seem to have lost a lot, because we've had a lot.

 

[The Gr8est]

If we had kept Branch we MIGHT have beaten Denver, but I don't think he would have made the difference.

If we had caved in to Branch we WOULD be having veterans lining up and causing us MAJOR contract problems going forward.

 

[Born_a_Patriot]

If we had kept Branch we MIGHT have beaten Denver, but I don't think he would have made the difference.

If we had caved in to Branch we WOULD be having veterans lining up and causing us MAJOR contract problems going forward.

I agree, we didn't last year with him on the team. How many people felt that way the year we lost Milloy and the Buffalo put it on us. Oh that's right The Players hated their coach and proved it by wining a Super Bowl. 83 is gone Just wear your skull caps and represent.

 

[desi-patsfan]

who are these 2 people you are trying to talk about?

 

[ctpatsfan1]

I think all he is trying to say is they planned better for that, the Milloy, situation. Perhaps they thought Chad Jackson on the roster was enough. Who knows, who cares its water under the bridge. As was stated lets see what a WR corp of Gabriel, Jackson, Brown, Caldwell, Smith can do with Brady tossing them the ball.

 

[BradyManny]

Where's the fire on Chad Jackson? Look, I'm am dying to see this guy play, I can't tell you what a bummer it is every week to see him questionable on the injury report. Putting aside my overwhelmig desire to watch him play - and that's hard to do - I don't see the rush to get him out there or make statements about him "limping around." His injury is maybe a "nagging" one, but its not going to hurt him long term, nor is it going to keep him out indefinitely or anything.

Jackson will contribute this season in a major way. Does anyone doubt this? Let's not rush him into the game and cause anymore setbacks.

 

[belichickaholic]

My feeling is that they never thought they'd lose Branch. He seemed really happy to be here. He seemed to love the area and his coach and teammates. You would see him often at Celtics games with teammates. You would see him at charity events and different events all over the city. He seemed really happy and for me, that's what makes this whole thing so disappointing.

 

[Pats726]

Gabriel looked good for one drive and then disappeared. Watson is dropping too many balls out there to make me feel comfortable with him as the go to guy, much as I like him.

I still believe that securing a starting quality wideout that would have been IN CAMP practicing with Brady would have insured the success of this offense in 2006.

I love Dillon/Maroney but look what happened when Denver keyed on the run game. Don't you think other teams will be copying the Denver blueprint to stop the Pats one dimensional offense?

Did I miss something or wasn't Branch unders contract..Gee..should the FO think everyone with a contract is a scumbag like Branch?? Didn't they draft Jackson..or did I miss that one. Wasn't Dillon injured for most of the game?? Guess I missed it...