You're critiquing BB for hiring McDaniels, his former OC, without interviewing others? Are you actually suggesting he did not know what he was getting, or that you, an armchair quarterback, could advise him of better prospects? As a general matter in everyday life, do people get re-hired after layoffs or departures after seeking opportunities elsewhere? Why do former employers quickly re-hire those people when available? Let me answer that. When a boss believes he has a good employee in a job, he tends not to gamble on an unknown quantity that may be better but may be worse. The fact that BB brought McDaniels in
the very season McDaniels finished with the Rams speaks volumes of his confidence in McDaniels. The fact that you, an individual lacking more than 30 years of NFL coaching experience (apparently touting a resume of team sports many here played - none of which is NFL or elite college athletics) who has no clue as to what is happening internally in the Pats organization, disagrees should cause you to think a moment before you speak. If BB is so great, and I believe he is, then why is he such an idiot in making his lousy McDaniels decisions and repeating his mistakes? That is and was a major mistake if true, and the smartest coach in the NFL has repeatedly made that mistake costing his team titles and success over 6 seasons. BB must be an idiot, since he reviews the offensive game plans for every game. There is no separating one proposition from the other, since that problem, if it is in fact a problem, continues every day for as long as McDaniels is the OC. Your implicit proposition is the head coach is incompetent, denying the team the success it so richly deserves by sticking with an inferior OC.
McDaniels has been the OC from 2006-2008 and 2011-present. How did the offenses perform statistically during those years? If the offense performed
well (and I submit record-setting, always top 10, average of top 5 is tremendous), then his resume is not the failure your uninformed insight leads you to believe. If you believe that a good OC wins titles every year, then there is no good OC in the NFL because that never happens.
You want to blame McDaniels for these personnel decisions, but offer not a single rational fact that might account for that. Yes, these players played with McDaniels on the Rams and Broncos. That is a fact. As a coordinator or head coach dealing with these players daily, might he have good insight into their abilities? That would be a 'yes'. If you were familiar with the Rams and Broncos when McDaniels was there, did those teams run a Patriots-style offense, given McDaniels's involvement? Whether you know the answer or not, that would also be a 'yes'. Is that familiarity a desirable quality when making personnel decisions? That would also be a 'yes', as veterans acquainted with very different systems may take much of the season if not more to get comfortable and play to abilities. Lloyd (statistically very good) and Amendola (review the Bills game performance in Week 1) immediately fit in the system, and showed a comfort level few display with this complex offense. That was clearly not a problem with those transactions. It stands to reason that may have some bearing on why they were added to the team.
Is McDaniels a decision-maker in personnel matters? Nothing in video or written works detailing BB and his personnel practices would come close to suggesting that. McDaniels is the OC and QB coach right now. Nothing I have seen or read of his role suggests he has a vote in who stay or goes with the Pats. You are either ignorant to the concept of due diligence, or you believe BB is bottom lining player transactions solely on a possible recommendation from McDaniels, without first reviewing game film, results of physicals, scouting reports, etc. that might qualify as due diligence on the possible multi-million dollar player transaction. That makes BB the equivalent of Al Davis, whimsically and idiotically signing players without looking at the complete evidence of that player's potential.
You appear to have some issue with McDaniels, and believe him to be the corrupter, bringing all the misfortune this 5-2 organization has 'suffered' this season and previous seasons to the Pats, which I assume in your mind would have hoisted at least 3 more titles but for his failings as OC. If McDaniels were not here, the personnel would be better. If McDaniels were not here, the offensive line would block better. if McDaniels were not here, Brady would make better decisions and more accurate passes. If McDaniels were not here, the receivers would drop fewer passes. If that irrational process helps you cope with the challenges this season, more power to you.
And no, I, and others here, do not claim McDaniels is perfect. Far from it. He has made his mistakes in game plans. However, there is nothing to suggest that the Pats would be playing flawless offense with some other OC, given the current personnel and execution challenges now facing the team. If you believe that, find the OC with similar personnel challenges who made the offense fire on all cylinders to optimum results.
