Win or lose?

[jimnance]

I keep posting that I want them to tank.
But once I turn on the game, I always want them to win.
I guess losing just ain't in my dna.
But a split last 2 games seems likely.
But would be funny as hell if we swept Buffalo this year and knocked them out of the playoffs.
As for the Putrid Green Slime, there's nothing to say. Only one outcome is acceptable. Anyone who doesn't see that probably doesn't belong here.

 

[thecore762]

For the greater good of the franchise and giving the next GM the ability to go out there and get a starting QB. Lose.

Chances of a QB in the later rounds to become pro bowl caliber QB is pretty low.

If you don’t get the top 3 QBs in the draft then it becomes a huge issue especially when your team is in desperate need of a starting caliber QB that can win games and not just be a JAG…

 

[thecore762]

The draft will be interesting.

First, there's at best a 3% chance of a victory against the Bills. We're banged up, more than in the 1st game. So I take it the Patriots will be drafting 4th.

The Bears are not a lock to take a QB at #1. They may run it back with Fields. WR and LT could be in the works for them.

If they do take a QB, I'd consider thinking about an LT, a WR with a small trade back, and a trade for Fields.

It's going to be interesting, it's going to be wild.

I don't think the Patriots are harmed by beating the Jets.

Fields is not going to be the answer to build a team around him. The team will still be crap. I don’t see Fields being a starting QB in a few years. 39-30 TD/INT ratio doesn’t really give you confidence in his decision making. At this point if we don’t get the top 3 QBs then I’d settle for Marvin Harrison Jr if he still there at #4 but I see him getting taken by Washington.

1. bears take Caleb
2. Arizona takes MHJr. Or they take Maye
3. Washington takes either Maye or MHJr.
4. Pats take Jayden Daniels or if for some miracle MHJr drops here then we take him.

It’s a shame that we couldn’t lock #3 or even #2…

 

[upstater1]

For the greater good of the franchise and giving the next GM the ability to go out there and get a starting QB. Lose.

Chances of a QB in the later rounds to become pro bowl caliber QB is pretty low.

If you don’t get the top 3 QBs in the draft then it becomes a huge issue especially when your team is in desperate need of a starting caliber QB that can win games and not just be a JAG…

Again, Williams and Maye have a lot of critics. Half this board doesn't even like Williams, so lamenting a pick we don't have when we don't even know which players will be there, it doesn't make much sense. And this team was bound to win some games anyway. There hasn't been an explicit order to tank. Outside of Colts, those are rare anyway.

 

[Free_Pacman]

I’m shocked that the posters who are most vehemently anti-Belichick are also the ones that most want the Patriots to lose games. I’m shocked, shocked I say!

 

[Free_Pacman]

Getting the 1st through 3rd pick was always a pipe-dream. Patriots are a 9-10 win team masquerading as a 5-win team literally because of Mac Jones.

I blame the coaching staff, yes, but also lay significant blame on the media and fan-base for pushing the absurd notion that the Patriots wouldnt have been better off with Zappe instead of Jones; a bag of sand at quarterback would have made this team more competitive than Mac Jones.

 

[RIpats88]

Getting the 1st through 3rd pick was always a pipe-dream. Patriots are a 9-10 win team masquerading as a 5-win team literally because of Mac Jones.

I blame the coaching staff, yes, but also lay significant blame on the media and fan-base for pushing the absurd notion that the Patriots wouldnt have been better off with Zappe instead of Jones; a bag of sand at quarterback would have made this team more competitive than Mac Jones.

I agree totally we are better than our record. It took multiple injuries to key players and absolutely horrendous QB play to get to a #2 pick, and some really bad luck like missing a winning field goal against the giants.

But it wasn't a pipe dream when we actually were in the 2nd pick last week doesn't make sense.

Team could've understood the season is over and to keep trotting Mac out there and started to shut down prepare for next gdar. Instead we won 2 games which puts us out of range for a top prospect. Chances are we will not be this bad again next year.

Now jury is out on whether it's a good decision or not. Maybe maye/Williams become elite and we look back at celebrating meaningless wins over Denver/Pittsburgh as short sighted as we mire in mediocrity.

Or those guys end up like Zach Wilson /fields while we end up with an elite player at another position and look back that it was more important to keep a winning culture.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

You can't avoid taking the swing because you are afraid of striking out. Too many people get gun shy. We are just as likely to draft an OL and have them bust as we are a QB or trade down and draft a bunch of scrubs.

You're better off spending your top pick on a QB 3-4 years in a row until you hit on a legit top end franchise guy.

There is a lot of truth to what you say about needing to take risks. The reality is that drafting multiple high picks until you find the right one is a long process. Unless the picks instantly and spectacularly flame out in year 1 you are looking at a 3 year evaluation period per QB which means the team is non functional for 9-12 years. While bringing in so many cast off QB's did not produce any results this year, the team should continue to explore any and all opportunities to find the next QB.

 

[Ivan]

I keep posting that I want them to tank.
But once I turn on the game, I always want them to win.
I guess losing just ain't in my dna.
But a split last 2 games seems likely.
But would be funny as hell if we swept Buffalo this year and knocked them out of the playoffs.
As for the Putrid Green Slime, there's nothing to say. Only one outcome is acceptable. Anyone who doesn't see that probably doesn't belong here.

This is why I can’t watch them. I want the highest pick possible, but I can’t help but root for them when I am watching them.

 

[lancerman]

Getting the 1st through 3rd pick was always a pipe-dream. Patriots are a 9-10 win team masquerading as a 5-win team literally because of Mac Jones.

I blame the coaching staff, yes, but also lay significant blame on the media and fan-base for pushing the absurd notion that the Patriots wouldnt have been better off with Zappe instead of Jones; a bag of sand at quarterback would have made this team more competitive than Mac Jones.

The Patriots since Zappe has become starter has been dead last in ppg aside from a special teams score.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Either way it doesn’t matter. The chances of the top QB’s being elite are slim so don’t get attached to them. While Williams might be argued as the most talented (Carson Palmer was regarded as the best in the nation for several years), USC has not had a successful QB since Matt Cassel who never saw the field behind Matt Lienart. That is crazy. Mark Sanchez had no business being taken as high as he was. Darnold was the latest not to work out.

Then you will have the annual draft risers just because a team has a need at the position.

And there will also always be teams that fumble the pick and pass on a QB like the 49ers taking a midget DL over DeShaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes and high fiving each other afterwards.

So in the end, the Pats are still going to end up with a pretty high pick.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Kindof in a bizarre spot for me... a Win Win with a 4-11 team. If the Pats win, I'm happy. If they lose, I'm content.

Win 2 - Tells me Zap is worthy of starting at least the beginning of next year. Plus beating both Bills and Jets would be fun. Possible #9 pick overall be damned.
Win 1 - Lock in the 4th pick (99% sure on this) and beat either the Bills or Jets.
Lose 2 - Lock in the 3rd pick and possibly get #1 overall.

Ugh SOS on Tankathon is already calculated / baked in for all 17 opponents, so this is way more up in the air than I thought. I can't read, apparently.

 

[Patriot Missile]

The circumstances have changed drastically in just a few short weeks. It’s easy to accept losing when your offense is a bumbling circus. With Mac Jones the losing became comical in a way and at that point all you can do is laugh it off and hope for the draft pick to replace the guy.

Fast forward to Zappe and now your team is in every game. You’ve got applaud the effort and cheer for that team to win no matter what.

At this point I’ve stopped eyeing Maye and Williams and Harrison jr. pretty much won’t be there. But you have Alt, Daniels, Nabers and Fashanu who immediately uograde the team right away.

 

[Ivan]

There is a lot of truth to what you say about needing to take risks. The reality is that drafting multiple high picks until you find the right one is a long process. Unless the picks instantly and spectacularly flame out in year 1 you are looking at a 3 year evaluation period per QB which means the team is non functional for 9-12 years. While bringing in so many cast off QB's did not produce any results this year, the team should continue to explore any and all opportunities to find the next QB.

Disagree with this. There’s nothing stopping them from bringing in the best competition possible every year, and having the best QB room in the leave, while giving your team depth and trade bait. The fact of the matter is that if your QB doesn’t play really well then you aren’t going to win anything. You can address any other position in free agency, and the rest of the draft every year, but QB is essential to success.

 

[sambam94]

Fields is not going to be the answer to build a team around him. The team will still be crap. I don’t see Fields being a starting QB in a few years. 39-30 TD/INT ratio doesn’t really give you confidence in his decision making. At this point if we don’t get the top 3 QBs then I’d settle for Marvin Harrison Jr if he still there at #4 but I see him getting taken by Washington.

1. bears take Caleb
2. Arizona takes MHJr. Or they take Maye
3. Washington takes either Maye or MHJr.
4. Pats take Jayden Daniels or if for some miracle MHJr drops here then we take him.

It’s a shame that we couldn’t lock #3 or even #2…

#3 currently and could move to #2.

 

[Ivan]

The circumstances have changed drastically in just a few short weeks. It’s easy to accept losing when your offense is a bumbling circus. With Mac Jones the losing became comical in a way and at that point all you can do is laugh it off and hope for the draft pick to replace the guy.

Fast forward to Zappe and now your team is in every game. You’ve got applaud the effort and cheer for that team to win no matter what.

At this point I’ve stopped eyeing Maye and Williams and Harrison jr. pretty much won’t be there. But you have Alt, Daniels, Nabers and Fashanu who immediately uograde the team right away.

Disagree with this. Zappe has been an improvement ove r Jones, but he’s a long way from being a season long starter you can count on to be your QB of the future. Plenty of QB’s, Sam Howell, Daniel Jones etc… have some good weeks only to revert to mediocrity soon thereafter, and QB is too important for that kind of inconsistency. QB is still their number 1 need, and I still feel like the higher the pick the better.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Disagree with this. Zappe has been an improvement ove r Jones, but he’s a long way from being a season long starter you can count on to be your QB of the future. Plenty of QB’s, Sam Howell, Daniel Jones etc… have some good weeks only to revert to mediocrity soon thereafter, and QB is too important for that kind of inconsistency. QB is still their number 1 need, and I still feel like the higher the pick the better.

Don’t get me wrong here. I don’t think Zappe is the guy either. Right now he has become serviceable. I’ve made several posts about tanking when clearly they were performing terribly and supported it. But when the team is focused and playing well, it’s hard to want them to lose regardless of the pick and consequences of winning in this case. It would be nice to get Maye to lead this team but if it happens it happens. Jets are also in tanking mode and I don’t think they are going to let us lose if the Pats wanted too.

Bottom line, this team isn’t the Colts. They aren’t going to have Freeney, Mathis, Wayne, Clark and Saturday out there sucking for Luck. I question that teams pride because they were much better than that. The Patriots went 11-5 when their franchise player went down.

 

[Jim Beankie]

I should've posted this beforehand:

"Since WAS played PHI twice, an ARI win with NE and WAS losses would probably result in ARI and WAS swapping places at #2 and #4 subject to the SEA and BAL results."

 

[MahomestoKelce]

Winning the Jets game is meaningless and costly to draft position.

Kraft might not have a choice but to just let things be

 

[Patriot Missile]

Winning the Jets game is meaningless and costly to draft position.

Kraft might not have a choice but to just let things be

Tell that to Belichick. I think the guy has a lifetime hard on for beating the Jets. I think they are going on win 16 or 17 in a row and not sure he has it in him.