Malcolm Butler Mega Thread

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Still trying to understand why butler didn't play. It has to be one of the biggest goofs in super bowl history.

 

[luuked]

Ok. I thought you had been defending the decision.

Not really. My stance is that unless we find out what the hell really happened to go with Occams Razor and trust that the coaching staff (i.e. BB) would not risk throw a SB just to stick it to a player. They have build up that much trust over the last 15 years..

Personally, I would have thrown in Butler at the latest in the middle of the third quarter. After seeing that any adjustments didnt really help too much.

 

[mosslost]

Reasonably looking at it all it makes more sense to me that Rowe is covering for Butler a bit and giving a non-answer than the alternative because of all the other things that decision would affect.

It actually makes NO sense to me that if Rowe knew he was starting over Butler, that he would said he learned of it only right before the game as has been reported, and he had no idea that Butler would not be playing. That would make no sense for him to say

 

[ATippett56]

you misunderstood me. I was agreeing with you. Patricia wanted Butler on the field.

It was sarcasm. I understood your point. The worst defensive playoff performance during the Bill Belichick era to a backup quarterback, no less.

 

[Soliel]

I’ve been up all night reading and thinking of various scenarios. The only one that feels right is like this. Butler comes late. B.B. lets that slide but during practice, Butler was either not cutting it or giving problems or both. B.B. sets him down and doesn’t say anything because of the outrage from everyone, me included. Butler has done things this year and copped an attitude a bunch of times. He’s got a bad attitude about money, seemed very upset about Gilmore who has now showed why he is a top corner. Butler is great and I’d have played him no matter what his attitude was like, even if he showed up last night drunk and stoned, he could not have did a worse job even if he stood in the middle of the field and drooled during the plays or even laid down and passed out. Might have been an improvement. I came to this theory by piecing together what we do know. Eric Rowe has nothing to gain by lying here nor does Gilmore so it’s credible that they didn’t know. Butler was upset. Now, that would indicate something way out of the ordinary like the flu really wiped him out or he got a ****ty attitude. Nothing else fits. That display of horrible defense coupled with guys not knowing and all that’s been said. B.B. doesn’t throw super bowl games in childish spite fits. The mans allergic to losses and strikes me like a guy who hates losing. Why else would he resign from the jets in one day? We’re going to find out eventually but I think I’m close at least.

 

[mosslost]

Still trying to understand why butler didn't play. It has to be one of the biggest goofs in super bowl history.

I will wait to judge. I mean what if he showed to a meeting drunk or missed a meeting drunk? (JUST AN EXAMPLE of a potential reason OK?) If it is something on that level I would still be kind of pissed but would support the DNP coaches decision. If it is something really silly then I think in a close game like that where the D was the problem... then Belichick is like Grady Little to me, except one with rings..

 

[mosslost]

showed up last night drunk and stoned

I get it, but I would support Belichick DNP coaches decision on that level of offense.

 

[mosslost]

We’re going to find out eventually but I think I’m close at least.

close how? I don't see in your post an explanation? Just asking because I was want to know one.

 

[bormio]

I will wait to judge. I mean what if he showed to a meeting drunk or missed a meeting drunk? (JUST AN EXAMPLE of a potential reason OK?) If it is something on that level I would still be kind of pissed but would support the DNP coaches decision. If it is something really silly then I think in a close game like that where the D was the problem... then Belichick is like Grady Little to me, except one with rings..

The dreaded Grady Little reference - I knew it was coming.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I will wait to judge. I mean what if he showed to a meeting drunk or missed a meeting drunk? (JUST AN EXAMPLE of a potential reason OK?) If it is something on that level I would still be kind of pissed but would support the DNP coaches decision. If it is something really silly then I think in a close game like that where the D was the problem... then Belichick is like Grady Little to me, except one with rings..

Well obviously something happened. BB can't be this dense.

 

[mosslost]

You’re helping out the Eagles. Why?

his ego..... or something worse which I doubt tho.

 

[primetime]

I’ve been up all night reading and thinking of various scenarios. The only one that feels right is like this. Butler comes late. B.B. lets that slide but during practice, Butler was either not cutting it or giving problems or both. B.B. sets him down and doesn’t say anything because of the outrage from everyone, me included. Butler has done things this year and copped an attitude a bunch of times. He’s got a bad attitude about money, seemed very upset about Gilmore who has now showed why he is a top corner. Butler is great and I’d have played him no matter what his attitude was like, even if he showed up last night drunk and stoned, he could not have did a worse job even if he stood in the middle of the field and drooled during the plays or even laid down and passed out. Might have been an improvement. I came to this theory by piecing together what we do know. Eric Rowe has nothing to gain by lying here nor does Gilmore so it’s credible that they didn’t know. Butler was upset. Now, that would indicate something way out of the ordinary like the flu really wiped him out or he got a ****ty attitude. Nothing else fits. That display of horrible defense coupled with guys not knowing and all that’s been said. B.B. doesn’t throw super bowl games in childish spite fits. The mans allergic to losses and strikes me like a guy who hates losing. Why else would he resign from the jets in one day? We’re going to find out eventually but I think I’m close at least.

Patriots fanfic is the best kind of post

 

[Kontradiction]

Again DMac and other captains are on the record saying they knew it well before.

They may be covering for their coach. Either that or Rowe is straight up lying and Butler was crying prior to kickoff because he was putting on a dog and pony show. All signs seem to point to that being the former.

It also logically makes no sense that Rowe just took Butlers snaps because there is no way they would have played Butler against Jeffrey. I dont see how they would move the entire coverage responsibilities right before the game. Especially for Chung that would be extremely difficult unless he was never meant to cover Ertz anyway.

The coaching was terrible especially to start. Rowe didn't cover Jeffry for long. They switched Gilmore onto him. Rowe was then tasked with covering either Smith or Agholor, both of which were terrible match-ups for him and both of which were better suited for Butler. So, whatever way you want to cut it, BB doesn't get a pass for this.

Reasonably looking at it all it makes more sense to me that Rowe is covering for Butler a bit and giving a non-answer than the alternative because of all the other things that decision would affect.

We'll see as the reports come out, but I think that answer was as genuine as Butler's emotions were before the game. Hopefully I'm wrong because that makes an already terrible decision look that much worse.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

My own theory is Butler was told he was not playing the 1st qtr because of a broken team rule (missed the team flight maybe??) and he freaked out and cussed out Belichick. Just a theory on my part.
Whatever the reason it had better be VERY SIGNIFICANT. Absence of Malcolm Butler just might have cost this team a championship.

 

[mosslost]

One thing I will say... We invest A LOT of our lives being fans LOL. For months and months it is most of my thinking, following this team.. When I go to sleep at night I think about the season and future seasons.

So, in the Super Bowl, a coaches' decision to simply bench someone who could have made the difference hurts a lot of people (FANS). So he really needed a good decision. His job is to get wins and championships.

 

[ashley]

RW,

I am curious to see when all the smoke clears what exactly happened. We may never know though. I feel safe saying that Malcom Butler has played his last game with us.

We can speculate all day about this but for me it comes down to one thing.

This is a better defense with Malcolm Butler on the field case closed.

Badman should have not played more than Malcolm regardless of the year he had (which was at worst better than average).

For a coach who always plays the players that give him the best chance to win the game (which was Malcolm playing 98% of the snaps over 18 games), he chose last night to deviate from that philosophy.

It makes zero sense

 

[ATippett56]

his ego..... or something worse which I doubt tho.

So now, all of a sudden, Bademosi is a better cornerback than Butler?

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Not even Wes Welker was banished for an entire game and he was just dipping his toe into the waters, so to speak.

 

[moosekill]

Lets see,
1. Butler hasn't been that good this year, he has been mediocre. Continuously stating he has doesn't help anyone's argument. He has been burned over and over again.
2. So the next question is, was Butler better than the alternatives out there. I have no idea.
3. If Butler was better, why wasn't he playing? Was he playing at 80%, did he look like crap all week in practice? None of us were at the practices, none of us were in the locker room, none of us know. I find it incredible difficult to believe BB decided to simply throw the game, or did it because of an ego trip. That is just plain silly.

 

[primetime]

The coaching was terrible especially to start. Rowe didn't cover Jeffry for long. They switched Gilmore onto him. Rowe was then tasked with covering either Smith or Agholor, both of which were terrible match-ups for him and both of which were better suited for Butler. So, whatever way you want to cut it, BB doesn't get a pass for this.

Rowe played fine once he switched onto Smith. Not great or anything, but fine. The issue was that, rather than having Butler on Agholor, a good matchup for him, they instead brought Chung to cover him and Richards came in, or else they brought Bademosi in. As a result, Agholor and Ertz (who, instead of Chung, a decent enough matchup, fell to Richards and/or Roberts) killed them.

 

[Fixit]

We could've trotted prime Revis out there and I'm not sure the outcome would've changed. The defense ... which I've been really positive on ... was just that bad.