Is this team lacking motivation?

[Joey007]

Is this team lacking motivation?​

Huh. Interesting. It’s almost as if the team’s heart is halfway into it.

I could believe this. Because it seems like the team hasn’t exactly been thrilled about playing through covid as much as other teams.

 

[Ian]

Huh. Interesting. It’s almost as if the team’s heart is halfway into it.

I could believe this. Because it seems like the team hasn’t exactly been thrilled about playing through covid as much as other teams.

I'm sure it might be more doubt than anything else. You come into every season believing you have a shot and a lot of the guys who have been here a while are probably a little bit in disbelief in where they are right now.

We're going to learn a lot about this team in the coming weeks with who has the mental toughness to deal with adversity and will try and at least use the experience to improve, vs guys who may go into self-preservation mode knowing there might not be another game after January 3rd. It should be interesting.

 

[jah]

I think any good leader is going to say that this is an effort issue because we know individual performance is the only thing technically within the players' power to win more games. I don't fault Slater for saying this, especially to the public, but I think the real thing this team is lacking is talent.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I think covid screwed up all the planning and preparation the last 3 games

.

 

[Joey007]

I think covid screwed up all the planning and preparation the last 3 games

.

I think I excused the last two games before this one. But I think there wasn’t much of an excuse against SF.

 

[amfootball]

During San Fran it looked like a team that gave up by the half. Cam never looked interested. Probably one of the worst losses seen around here since 2000.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Yes. Matthew Slater even came out and indicated the lack of effort. Even the coaching staff has seemed out to punch at times.

 

[203Pat]

This looks like a group of guys who are used to rolling out of bed every year to 12 wins. Now that's not going to happen they look dejected and disinterested. Even some of the comments after the Chiefs game just seemed to me like some of the guys were regretting not opting out.

 

[captain stone]

This team is lacking Talent far more than it is lacking motivation.

 

[Hyped]

I love Slater! Good way to light a fire under their arses!

 

[DaBruinz]

This team is lacking Talent far more than it is lacking motivation.

This team has the ability to put a top 5 O-line on the field. They have the ability to put a top 5 Defensive backfield out there. They have one of the deepest RB groups in the league.

The MAIN issue going into the season was the QB. After 3 games, Newton seemed to playing to his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses. That has changed since he missed the week to COVID. Now, he looks like he's got Kryptonite around his neck all the time and has people wishing for Mark Sanchez..

This team will go as the QB position goes. BB should just rip the bandaid off and either bench Cam or cut him outright. Stidham may not be the answer long term, but he certainly can't do worse than Newton has to this point. Design the game plans to focus on Run-First. Use it to set up the passing game as well as stuff like Bubble Screens, Jet Sweeps, gimmick plays.

A lot will depend on the severity of the injuries to Thuney and Herron. If those injuries are minor, then going RUN-FIRST and using every practice to instill that execution is what needs to be done. Make it so that teams are forced to try and beat you by stacking the box. Then use the play-action pass to burn them. Even short PA passes can end up turning into 15-20 yard gains.

If the injuries to Thuney and Herron are season ending, then trading the likes of Gilmore, Burkhead, JMac, etc should be looked at.

Based on the Seattle and KC games, this team CAN still finish above .500 AND still end up in 1st in the Division. Buffalo has to play the Pats twice, Seattle, Arizona, the 9ers, and Steelers. I could easily see them choking and losing 4-6 of those games..

 

[Pape]

don't know if they are lacking motivation... not in the locker room...

but it is gut check time... whos is playing hard and who is playing for a paycheck... expect a decent house cleaning this off season...

 

[sb1]

Yeah this got my attention yesterday. This is on Bill to fix.

So many things happening reminding me of the 2009 team here except we don’t have as much talent as they did.

 

[tasmlab]

This might be the first time Slater has every seen three losses in a row.

A good number of SEASONS Slater played in had three or fewer losses.

 

[varjao]

Lacking talent is more likely.

They did a poor, terrible job on drafting players for at least 5 years. Any other job with such a bad performance would result in a change.

 

[Pape]

This might be the first time Slater has every seen three losses in a row.

A good number of SEASONS Slater played in had three or fewer losses.

It is the first time he's been on a squad that has lost 3 in a row since joining the Pats in 2008... last time we went on a three game slide was 2002 (it is was 4L in a row back then) ...

 

[203Pat]

Yeah this got my attention yesterday. This is on Bill to fix.

So many things happening reminding me of the 2009 team here except we don’t have as much talent as they did.

That 09 team was obviously flawed and seem to have some locker room issues and I agree with your point about not having the talent now that even that 09 team did. Bill was able to rebuild on the fly jettisoning some of the headaches in the locker room the following year but a major part of it was the 2010 draft (along with the 2011-2013 drafts to a slightly lesser extent). 2010 was a home run draft with Gronk, McCourty, and Hernandez as stars to build around for the next few years. Combine that draft class with the 2011-2013 classes which brought in players ranging from stars like Hightower, Chandler Jones, and Jamie Collins to solid starters and role players in Solder, Vereen, Ridley, Cannon, Ebner, Logan Ryan, and Harmon. He was able to bridge the gap from the first half of the dynasty to the second with cheap young talent and keep us in the hunt every year.

This current roster is lightyears behind 09 and will not necessarily be able to rebuild on the fly as far as I am concerned but the rebuild must happen the same way. In the draft. The second/third tier free agents should be used to supplement spots on the roster. Not plug holes and hope they work. We need another good stretch of drafting and we could rebound somewhat but we need to figure out how to get a QB.

 

[Hyped]

This team has TALENT no doubt. A run down:

1.) Best secondary in football by far. Even if you disagree...Gilmore is a top 5 CB and J.C Jackson is at least a top 10 #2 CB. Then there's Jones who is a top 5 sot corner. And I haven't even mentioned D-Mac, Dugger, Philips, Brooks, and JJW...I'd say that is one of the better safety groups in the league.

2.) The OL...when healthy (i.e. Wynn, Thuney, Andrews, Mason, and Eluemunor/Onwenu) is one of the best in the league...maybe top 5 even. And we have serious depth this year that is being tested too.

3.) DL: We have LAwrence Guy who is vastly underrated..but not much else. However, you only need MEAT here for the most part...not everyone has an Aaron Donald.

4.) DE/OLB: We have some talent here...just no ELITE talent yet...but it is a decent group that can dial up pressure.

5.) RB: Harris, Michel, White, Burkhead, and Taylor is a very good room. THere are almost no more elite three down backs in the NFL. The only non-RBBC RB's I can think of going division-by-division are: Joe Mixon, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Austin Ekeler, Ezekiel Elliott, Miles Sanders, Saquon Barkley, Aaron Jones, Dalvin Cook, Alvin Kamara, Christian McCaffrey, and Chris Carson. So...nly 12 teams don't have a RBBC situation...and of those 12...8 of their RB's are either OUT, Questionable, or on I/R for week 8. Not many teams have the depth we do at RB.

6.) QB: Yeah, Cam looks like crap right now...but the man is a former MVP. I would say Cam is still one of the top 20 QB's in the league...which is al all we can ask for after the GOAT left.

7.) Our ST units are elite...except for NIck Folk, IMO.

As for the weaknesses....I agree on: WR, TE, and MLB. For TE....we drafted two guys....and had no camp. I think both will be better in 2021. MLB..well...we get Hightower back next year...and that will help a lot, but I'd like to see more speed...or for our safety group to play in the box more. WR....we did draft a guy in round 1, tried a drug addict, tried a head case, and brought in all kinds of vets. We will need to do better in the off-season.

So, it has to be lack of motivation more than talent. Even Reiss mentioned that he wondered whether Gilmore was making a "business decision" by not tackling a guy too hard on Sunday.

 

[Kontradiction]

No. BB himself even said he was happy with the way the team competed during his postgame presser Sunday evening. It’s not motivation this team is lacking. It’s talent.

 

[BradytoMosstoGronk]

Need a QB that will rally the troops on the sideline, even down 3 scores. Cam shows little emotion, unless he does something on the field (1st down or TD run) himself. Starts with the top, but you need a QB leader that inspires and motivates, something he doesn't do. Get the average players to play their best. In some ways, talent is an issue, but it's not an excuse for the entire team.

Also, hard to be inspired by your QB when across the board the QB play is awful.