Malcolm Butler Mega Thread

[mb6592]

They were not reasons unrelated to winning the Sb. They were reasons that he felt gave the team the best chance to win.
That’s why this argument is so ridiculous.
People want to believe that belichick didn’t care about winning before accepting that something was going on that led him to believe butler would hurt the team.

And please stop with calling belichicks comments something factual. He will NEVER give reasons. No coach does. Butler could have literally put a poisonous snake in his hoodie or lit Rowe’s room on fire and he would have said it wasn’t disciolinary.

I'm not suggesting Belichick didn't want to win or purposely sabotaged his team. What I'm saying (and I think you are too) is that absent some (disciplinary?) reason, Butler would have had some playing time. That he didn't shows Belichick's reason(s) for not playing him was/were unrelated to the sole purpose of winning this Super Bowl.

The only remaining mystery is what the reason(s) was/were. Maybe we'll find out, maybe we won't. And if we did find out maybe you would agree with the decision, maybe you wouldn't.

 

[Ring 6]

Because I have been told by two coaches why it was made. Unless you think Bill and Matt are both lying.

No you haven’t. Belichick said it was many reasons and it would be a long story. M
Patricia gave the stock answer. An answer designed to protect the player.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm not suggesting Belichick didn't want to win or purposely sabotaged his team. What I'm saying (and I think you are too) is that absent some (disciplinary?) reason, Butler would have had some playing time. That he didn't shows Belichick's reason(s) for not playing him was/were unrelated to the sole purpose of winning this Super Bowl.

No.
I am saying absent a good reason butler would have played. And the only good reason is a better chance of winning the game.

My belief is he was demoted because of practice performance, or lack of executing the scheme, or a bad attitude and unwillingness to play as coached.
Then he went to zero snaps because he either broke a serious team rule, or more likely mishandled the demotion and melted down, as seems obvious from crying at the anthem.

 

[Ring 6]

Maybe Butler plays less if it was due to scheme. Not playing at all - THE WHOLE GAME - makes that point irrelevant to the discussion at hand.

Well I think there are 2 pieces.
1 being put behind rowe because he showed in practice that he wasn’t handling the scheme then 2, because his reaction to being demoted caused him to meltdown in one or more ways.

 

[Kdo5]

Crying on the sidelines makes me suspicious. If we believe he was crying because he was told he was not going to start then that tells me his maturity, decision making and professionalism are to be questioned.

Since you are questioning BBs maturity, decision-making and professionalism its only fair, right?

He literally just got informed before the game that he was benched and would not play in the SUPER BOWL where he has helped the team win before in a big way.

I don't blame him for being emotional about that. I don't understand why you mention 'decision making' as the person you believe and several sources have said it was a on field decision, nothing disciplinary.

Just because he was emotional does not make him unprofessional. While there have been talk that he was unhappy (how couldn't he be?), he never said a bad word or caused a stink throughout the entire season. There is no proof that he was ever a distraction. And clearly his teammates would totally contradict that.

If he lacked maturity he probably would have *****ed and moaned and talked to the media about the contract and team situation. But he did not.

What are you even talking about?

 

[upstater1]

Butler was a bit undersized to matchup against Philly’s tall receivers. The only big physical corner they had was Rowe, and Philly knew that he was a liability having played there before. The matchups favored the Eagles just about everywhere except TE and QB.

The Eagles receivers are not that good. Their best is a red zone threat, but 57 catches on 120 targets? 49 yards per game?

Cooks was better than both of them.

These were not formidable WRs.

As a matter of fact, Jeffery was better in Chicago.

 

[upstater1]

Folks listen...Malcolm Butler wasn’t going to make an iota of difference in that game. We could have had Ty Law in his prime opposite Gilmore and still lost. Why? Our front 7 was absolutely horrible. We couldn’t generate any pressure, and our LB couldn’t cover at all. That’s the reason we lost. Can’t give an NFL corner endless time to through, and can’t have the second level basically wide open at all times because the best coverage guy you can put there is Richardson for Pete’s sake. If we upgrade our LB core, we will be fine.

We had countless mistakes from our DBs, biting on fakes on wheel routes. Butler is a ton better than Richards and Bademosi, and we needed Chung on Ertz, not on a WR. Agholor ate him alive (I'm not blaming Chung).

 

[Kdo5]

We sound countless mistakes from our DBs, biting on fakes on wheel routes. Butler is a ton better than Richards and Bademosi, and we needed Chung on Ertz, not on a WR. Agholor ate him alive (I'm not blaming Chung).

Players were not put in the best position to succeed. That is pretty much the exact opposite of what Belichick is all about.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

The Eagles receivers are not that good. Their best is a red zone threat, but 57 catches on 120 targets? 49 yards per game?

Cooks was better than both of them.

These were not formidable WRs.

As a matter of fact, Jeffery was better in Chicago.

I’m not talking about their productivity. I am talking about their size. It is no secret NE struggles against teams with multiple big physical receivers.

 

[RobertWeathers]

He literally just got informed before the game that he was benched and would not play in the SUPER BOWL where he has helped the team win before in a big way.

I don't blame him for being emotional about that. I don't understand why you mention 'decision making' as the person you believe and several sources have said it was a on field decision, nothing disciplinary. Just because he was emotional does not make him unprofessional.

I have no problem with players crying after a loss or during the NA but crying after he was told he wasn't starting? Really?

Its common practice in NE to spring stuff on players. he knows this.

Why do you think he was told he wasn't starting prior to the game? People are not digging into that. I am.

While there have been talk that he was unhappy (how couldn't he be?), he never said a bad word or caused a stink throughout the entire season. There is no proof that he was ever a distraction.

How does a player who played 98% of the snaps get benched? Youve known BB for 18 years. What would push him to do that when he has NEVER done it before?

And clearly his teammates would totally contradict that.

Why does a 5 time Sb winning coach with 270 wins suddenly bench his starting CB (who was having an average year)? Why are you putting BB under the microscope and not Malcolm?

If he lacked maturity he probably would have *****ed and moaned and talked to the media about the contract and team situation. But he did not.

What are you even talking about?

If he handled his demotion maturely and professionally he most likely would have played in the SB but lets put all the blame on BB

 

[makoute]

He literally just got informed before the game that he was benched and would not play in the SUPER BOWL where he has helped the team win before in a big way.

I don't blame him for being emotional about that. I don't understand why you mention 'decision making' as the person you believe and several sources have said it was a on field decision, nothing disciplinary.

Just because he was emotional does not make him unprofessional. While there have been talk that he was unhappy (how couldn't he be?), he never said a bad word or caused a stink throughout the entire season. There is no proof that he was ever a distraction. And clearly his teammates would totally contradict that.

If he lacked maturity he probably would have *****ed and moaned and talked to the media about the contract and team situation. But he did not.

What are you even talking about?

Some people would rather make up scenarios in their minds, rather than accept that someone they think highly of made a bad decision or did something wrong.

 

[makoute]

I have no problem with players crying after a loss or during the NA but crying after he was told he wasn't starting? Really?

Its common practice in NE to spring stuff on players. he knows this.

Why do you think he was told he wasn't starting prior to the game? People are not digging into that. I am.



How does a player who played 98% of the snaps get benched? Youve known BB for 18 years. What would push him to do that when he has NEVER done it before?



Why does a 5 time Sb winning coach with 270 wins suddenly bench his starting CB (who was having an average year)? Why are you putting BB under the microscope and not Malcolm?




If he handled his demotion maturely and professionally he most likely would have played in the SB but lets put all the blame on BB

because Bill said it, Matt said it, the player in question said it, his teammates supported his statements.

 

[RobertWeathers]

because Bill said it, Matt said it, the player in question said it, his teammates supported his statements.

OK Malcolm needs to be added to the inquisition

 

[GorBelSer]

OK Malcolm needs to be added to the inquisition

Are you Stephen Belichick?

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

We sound countless mistakes from our DBs, biting on fakes on wheel routes. Butler is a ton better than Richards and Bademosi, and we needed Chung on Ertz, not on a WR. Agholor ate him alive (I'm not blaming Chung).

Richards was just awful. He was on ertz on a couple of big plays.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I’m not talking about their productivity. I am talking about their size. It is no secret NE struggles against teams with multiple big physical receivers.

Butler would have a done a good job on agholor. He's clearly a much better option than guys like Rowe and bademosi. Much better in man coverage. Him not playing created some mismatches for the eagles. The eagles got a late Christmas gift.

 

[mosi]

Richards was just awful. He was on ertz on a couple of big plays.

Has anybody calculated the yards per Richards number? I bet it it is high, real high.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Some people would rather make up scenarios in their minds, rather than accept that someone they think highly of made a bad decision or did something wrong.

I think that BB made a decision based on scheme and practice performance that Rowe would replace MB as starter in the big nickel. Not discipline, not punishment, not based on illness, not on insubordination, nothing.

That was a bad decision, in hindsight.

I also think that BB made a decision based on MB's sideline reaction to not starting, basically bawling his eyes out, that he was in no mental state to go into the game on passing downs when they shifted to regular nickel or dime.

That decision was the one that maybe had the most negative impact, but I don't know if MB's mental state much improved during the game. You were not going to get the player you got for the previous 18 games.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I think that BB made a decision based on scheme and practice performance that Rowe would replace MB as starter in the big nickel. Not discipline, not punishment, not based on illness, not on insubordination, nothing.

That was a bad decision, in hindsight.

I also think that BB made a decision based on MB's sideline reaction to not starting, basically bawling his eyes out, that he was in no mental state to go into the game on passing downs when they shifted to regular nickel or dime.

That decision was the one that maybe had the most negative impact, but I don't know if MB's mental state much improved during the game. You were not going to get the player you got for the previous 18 games.

He went about it the wrong way. I think butler deserves the benefit of the doubt in starting. He can make a big play any minute. He deserves to play his last game in a pats jersey. The move blew up on his face and he never blinked one in bringing butler in the game. Rowe as the second corner's a joke.

 

[PatsDeb]

I think that BB made a decision based on scheme and practice performance that Rowe would replace MB as starter in the big nickel. Not discipline, not punishment, not based on illness, not on insubordination, nothing.

That was a bad decision, in hindsight.

I also think that BB made a decision based on MB's sideline reaction to not starting, basically bawling his eyes out, that he was in no mental state to go into the game on passing downs when they shifted to regular nickel or dime.

That decision was the one that maybe had the most negative impact, but I don't know if MB's mental state much improved during the game. You were not going to get the player you got for the previous 18 games.

But it's the Super Bowl, you're getting killed, and you have nothing to lose. Make the move. Provide a spark. Instead, crickets.