Setting Stidham up for Success

[Wozzy]

sounds good

Consider that it is extremely rare to go deep into the playoffs with out at least a good quarterback.

Consider the history of quarterbacks drafted in the 4th round or later.
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So sure, the rest of the team may be better in 2021 if we pay $49M less on the quarterback position for 2020 and 2021.

But sometime, we need a winning quarterback in order to win. Personally, I would liked another competitor this year, and then another next year, until we had a good NFL quarterback, and a good backup. I don't know who.

My personal choice would have been Fromm, with the hope that Stidham would beat him out, and that he would be a backup in 2021 (or compete to be a backup in 2021).

I thought they might go after Fromm as well, I liked him, but they seem really high on Stidham.

History isn't so unkind on QB's taken a little later, I'm not a big believer in the magical powers of QB's though. There are too many examples of great top prospects who go to terrible situations and fall apart quickly or even those like Andrew Luck who degrade over time. The environment a player lands in seems just as important to me as any skill they bring with them from college.

Stidham was a true junior, if he left after his sophomore year he may have gone in the 2nd round. The kid beat Alabama and Georgia, he was one of the highest rated QB's in the SEC. His junior season team was a dumpster fire with a whole new offensive line, his best receiver from the year prior blew out his knee and his RB's couldn't pass block at all.

Dak Prescott was a 4th round pick, Tom Brady and Gardner Mineshew were one round from being UDFA's. There are quality players all throughout the draft.

A player they should still bring in is Roland Rivers, a division 2 QB from Slippery Rock. I can't believe he hasn't been signed already.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Taco]

I don't know how you can say that the D will be good like last year. I remember the D looking pretty terrible down the stretch and in the playoffs. They're thin at LB and DT which means they'll get run on again like they did last year. With a killer secondary, you're practically begging teams to run it and run it they will just like last year.

Sure, they're setting the kid up the best they can but with their terrible cap position and suspect drafting the last few years, don't expect a ton of success this year or next.

It's too early to make predictions that we will suck this year & the next. We have a whole new crop of young & fast players on defense from the draft. Our cap situation can get sorted out with an extension or two & their is always the mid-summer trade or pickup that the Pats could make. Let it play out, we are not playing games tomorrow.

 

[Nehalem]

The defense ****ing sucked, or at least couldn't stop anyone good when it really mattered over the last 9 games (other than stopping immortal Josh Allen) including the playoff joke/choke vs Tennessee.,..they lost some important vet playmakers from that actual mediocre defense from the last 9 games.... This defense will give up 3 touchdowns a game on average and teams like KC and Baltimore will hang 35+.... Notice I'm saying 3 TOUCHDOWNS not 21 points bc their ppg will be north of that

This post has almost nothing to do with reality.

Over the last 9 games the Patriots allowed 18.2 points a game. That would rank as the #4 defense in the NFL. And that is with the offense doing them 0 favors.

And I don't know how you can call allowing 14 points to Tennesse(0 in the 2nd half) a choke job.

 

[sb1]

Hoyer to start week 1. JS4 to take over permanently later in the season when the time is right.

Seems straightforward to me.

 

[mgteich]

It's too early to make predictions that we will suck this year & the next. We have a whole new crop of young & fast players on defense from the draft. Our cap situation can get sorted out with an extension or two & their is always the mid-summer trade or pickup that the Pats could make. Let it play out, we are not playing games tomorrow.

There is enough cap money to sign the WR and the DT that we need. IMO, we do have to decide what to do with Thuney, sooner rather than later. This would help in planning the various option for the OL. If Thuney is being extended, all is good. If not, we will need to add a vet to compete with Froholdt for the starting and swing guards positions.

 

[mgteich]

It's too early to make predictions that we will suck this year & the next. We have a whole new crop of young & fast players on defense from the draft. Our cap situation can get sorted out with an extension or two & their is always the mid-summer trade or pickup that the Pats could make. Let it play out, we are not playing games tomorrow.

We'll acquire a few more players. That isn't the issue. The issue is very clear. Either Belichick has made on of the best late round quarterbacks picks of all time, or NOT. If not, we are not a playoff contender. If yes, then we are in contention.

If course, if Stidham is good enough to be as good as many of the backups in the NFL who played last year, then Belichick can keep him to be a future backup and/or compete for the starting spot in the future.

 

[venecol]

4. We still have one of the best defenses in the entire NFL.

Of those 11 separate players, only 3 ended up as franchise QBs.

So, if you ever find yourself thinking Stidham cant possibly get us to the playoffs and we are destined for failure, remind yourself that Rex Ryan coached a worse defensive team with Mark Sanchez at QB to the AFC championship game.

You put a lot of time in the OP and I get what you are trying to say. A few comments on the above bolded lines.

1. We don't know what we have on D until they start playing. The combo of losing veterans like Collins, KVN, Roberts, that had very good communications and the fact teams saw the Pats D last year doesn't guarantee the same success this season.

2. The statement that only 3 out of 11 QBs in your analysis, made it, doesn't bode well for Stidham.

3. Your conclusion of comparing Ryan/Sanchez/Jete with BB/Stidham/NEP made me throw-up in my mouth a lil bit.

Will the team, AND Stidham go through some rough patches ? Hell yeah, it’ll be his first time starting in the NFL. But the Patriot Way is still here. I think as long as Kraft owns the team, and Belichick is coaching, we will have very few mediocre seasons.

I think that this is the most understated effect of Brady leaving. How many times did we hear how young players and signed vets looked up to TFB and the example he set. The term "buy in" was used ad naseum. Well guess what, even TFB was done with the "buy in." How will these generation Z players respond to the Patriots Way, whatever that means, is the question. Will vets even want to come to the NEP, to play for Stidham?

I believe the coaching, led by BB, and professionalism of the organization will carry the day, but I'm not holding my breath it's going to happen this year or even next.

 

[DarrylS]

I think what BB is doing here is trying replicate something similar to the 2001 offense. The O will be less complicated, and more focus will be on the "dink and dunk" and emphasis on YAC... added to this is beefing up a run game with Michel/White/Harris/Vitale...

This team has been retooled in the past couple of drafts in preparation for life after Brady..

 

[Tony2046]

He probably will do well there. Which of course means squat relative to the Patriots. Stidham or Hoyer matching Brady’s 88 passer rating from 2019 shouldn’t be hard to do.

Looks like Laundry Boy is still eating the Tide pods.

 

[venecol]

I think what BB is doing here is trying replicate something similar to the 2001 offense. The O will be less complicated, and more focus will be on the "dink and dunk" and emphasis on YAC... added to this is beefing up a run game with Michel/White/Harris/Vitale...

This team has been retooled in the past couple of drafts in preparation for life after Brady..

Is that much different than last year? They had a 58 pass / 42 run split. Rushing 3.8 ypa and passing 6.7 ypa. The O wasn't very efficient once they saw competition. Don't see how replacing Brady with Stidham helps this.

 

[DarrylS]

Is that much different than last year? They had a 58 pass / 42 run split. Rushing 3.8 ypa and passing 6.7 ypa. The O wasn't very efficient once they saw competition. Don't see how replacing Brady with Stidham helps this.

The difference was Brady and his reported elbow issues, more errant throws than I am used to seeing, and the Pats did not or Brady did not want to adapt..

BTW I am not an advocate of Stidham over Brady, just fan who saw a very obvious decline last year.. and they needed to adapt game plans for him ..

Just some thoughts on how they can use Stidham if they want to...

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

If his floor is Jimmy G I'm stoked what is his ceiling?
Drew Brees.

 

[Nehalem]

If his floor is Jimmy G I'm stoked what is his ceiling?
Drew Brees.

A more mobile Tom Brady

 

[amfootball]

Why would Hoyer start? It's not like we have championship aspirations this year. Let Stidham learn as he goes. Plus, Bill will protect with the defense and STs and a run heavy O.

 

[amfootball]

If his floor is Jimmy G I'm stoked what is his ceiling?
Drew Brees.

I don't know but honestly I hope he is A LOT better than Jimmy.

 

[mgteich]

Why would Hoyer start? It's not like we have championship aspirations this year. Let Stidham learn as he goes. Plus, Bill will protect with the defense and STs and a run heavy O.

The "we" excludes Belichick and the coaches. They want to compete to be in the playoffs, and to see what happens in the second season.

 

[mgteich]

I don't know but honestly I hope he is A LOT better than Jimmy.

hope is not a plan

 

[Ladypatsfan]

Looks like Laundry Boy is still eating the Tide pods.

Don't know who you are talking about, but thanks for the LOL. Haven't had much to smile about lately.

 

[Wozzy]

The 2020 Patriots are starting a gaggle of rookies at TE and LB, as well as breaking in a sophomore quarterback.

Not only did they lose three LB'ers off last year's #1 ranked defense but they also lost their third safety on a defense that ran a lot of three safety sets. Anfernee Jennings was brought in to be an eventual successor to Hightower but combined with Josh Uche and Cassh Maluia to offset the losses of Collins and Van Noy. BB also brought in Kyahva Tezino and De’Jon Scoota Harris to replace Elandon Roberts at that small LB position. He brought in Kyle Dugger to immediately replace Duron Harmon and eventually start.

Starting this many rookie unknowns on defense there are bound to be mental errors and mistakes we didn't see with last year's unit. The defense probably won't be as good, but it doesn't mean it can't be. If the rookies pick it up immediately and stay healthy they could have a similar defense to last year. If Michael Onwenu proves to be as good a defensive nose tackle as he does an offensive guard then the defensive front could be even more stout against the run. There are a lot of "what ifs" involved here, the odds say there will be a learning curve.

With Vitale and rookie TE's the blocking should improve immediately... we hope. Assuming they "get it" and stay healthy this offensive front will be much better as long as the offensive line also stays healthy. Running the ball should be much easier, pass blocking on the edges should also improve.

We've already spoken at length about Stidham, a lot is riding on if he can do the job and how well.

Assume for a second he is great and so are all the other rookie contributors, this team has enough talent to win a ring. That being said this is a quantum leap in assumption and pie in the sky optimism... young players rarely if ever play along and certainly not en masse.

They're probably a year away from competing for a ring even if Stidham is "good" to "great," and the schedule is a grind. I'd say the same thing if Brady were starting.

But never in a million years would I have believed they were ready in 2001 and a bunch of longshots all paid off at once, so I'll never say never again.

The talent is there to compete, the young talent probably isn't ready or experienced enough to compete.

Enjoy the process...