PostGame Thread 2023 Week 2: Patriots Lose to Dolphins 24-17

[SlowGettingUp]

This OL has barely played together, and that showed.

Look at this thread on OL miscues, including the final play of the night when Chubb slips between Strange and Andrews and prevents Mac from stepping up:
(Sorry for the dupes - sometimes you see both the post and the reply)








Everyone here is blaming Mac, but from my vantage he made that one bad interception that ended up not actually costing us points as we came back and scored. No run game meant no play action either.

 

[Ian]

comparing him to current day top tier QBs; Hurts, Dan, Purdy, Mahomes, Goff, Lamar,Herbert, Richardson

They all have unique skills that Mac does not have

You've just named a bunch of people they had no shot at because things haven't fallen to that point yet, with Purdy being the anomaly where 31 other teams passed on him also. Lamar was a guy they didn't target because they thought Brady would still be here (it's documented that Belichick wasn't expecting Brady to leave) so they didn't go there. That didn't happen.

 

[Kdo5]

He will not make that mistake again.

It wasn’t even that much of a mistake. The defender made an outstanding play. He threw a haymaker out of nowhere and Douglas had no idea it was coming. That ball probably would’ve been stripped from our other receivers too.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Did anyone really expect the year to be a 10 win year?,i think most of us expected an 8 or 9 win team at best and just excited because football is back - I don't know if 8 wins is a stretch at this point though - its rebuilding phase

Yes, actually there was a considerable amount of people that projected 10+ wins.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

I need the next draft to be HEAVY on offense. T, WR, TE, RB and yes…developmental QB with plus physical tools.

 

[thecore762]

They need an infusion of young innovative thinkers in terms of roster management, team building, cap management and offensive vision......its time

So, you agree that the team needs a new GM?

I don’t know that BB is willing to “give up” that power.

 

[Grogan14]

They've sort of done that in terms of the draft, with Groh starting to have more say there. I think most people would say they've done a reasonably good job there the last few years, and it's because he's had more trust in those guys.

But Bill is still CEO....

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I don’t know to describe what Mac is lacking. I really do think he could be very good despite non elite arm strength. We’ve seen it before from other QBs. Pennington was still really good even after his injury. Brees comes to mind. Mac has the height, the processing, etc.

It’s almost like he doesn’t have the obsessive will to win, he has the obsessive will to play the position correctly and not screw up. There was a play tonight in 1st half when he was scrambling near MIA 20 and just as he came near LOS the corner peeled off the receiver, leaving him for an open TD (at least that’s what I thought I saw) but he was intent on getting those four yards. He just isn’t looking for the big, bad game winning types of plays. I’d rather he threw some risky INT to lose versus working with 2 inch margins to keep alive a final drive.

 

[Ian]

But Bill is still CEO....

I'm not saying he's not at fault at some level. But my biggest point is even if they kept Brady, three years later, it's not Mac, it's another guy who might not even be as good because Brady would have likely won them enough games where they would have been picking too far down to get anyone of any substance.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

This OL has barely played together, and that showed.

Look at this thread on OL miscues, including the final play of the night when Chubb slips between Strange and Andrews and prevents Mac from stepping up:








https://x.com/michaelFhurley/status/1703616798392758598?s=20

Everyone here is blaming Mac, but from my vantage he made that one bad interception that ended up not actually costing us points as we came back and scored. No run game meant no play action either.

no protection from the OL was key to the loss tonight...no doubt about it

 

[State]

Calvin Anderson can't be the best we have at RT....

RT is holding this team hostage. Much like last year.

But McDermott played better last season than Calvin Ferentz played tonight.

 

[Ian]

I need the next draft to be HEAVY on offense. T, WR, TE, RB and yes…developmental QB with plus physical tools.

They're going to keep drafting quarterbacks. Always have. The last guy battled and held them off. Whether or not that continues remains to be seen. But I doubt that approach will change given the history.

 

[thecore762]

comparing him to current day top tier QBs; Hurts, Dan, Purdy, Mahomes, Goff, Lamar,Herbert, Richardson

They all have unique skills that Mac does not have

Correct, most of the QBs you listed pose a serious threat to opposing teams defenses and they have to game plan around their skills. I don’t think they do much for planning against Mac because he doesn’t have the arm that some of those guys have and doesn’t have the versatility either.

Those teams had some bad o-lines too but their QBs made it work. With Mac, if the o-line struggles then it’s game over because he doesn’t have the legs or the ability to avoid sacks. He needs that perfect pocket.

Game has evolved and you need to become a dual threat.

 

[Ian]

Scar may be the mist underrated coach in NFL history. I don’t think that is hyperbole

100% agree. He was an absolutely incredible coach, essentially the "Tom Brady" of his craft, and I also don't think that's an exaggeration.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I'm not saying he's not at fault at some level. But my biggest point is even if they kept Brady, three years later, it's not Mac, it's another guy who might not even be as good because Brady would have likely won them enough games where they would have been picking too far down to get anyone of any substance.

They might have gone after Watson though for a temporary fix

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Get collins on the damned phone too nite

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

100% agree. He was an absolutely incredible coach, essentially the "Tom Brady" of his craft, and I also don't think that's an exaggeration.

I don't think there is ANY fan of this team that followed the OL changes during his tenure that would disagree with that statement

 

[TheRainMaker]

So, you agree that the team needs a new GM?

I don’t know that BB is willing to “give up” that power.

He won’t.

 

[Schmo]

This OL has barely played together, and that showed.

Look at this thread on OL miscues, including the final play of the night when Chubb slips between Strange and Andrews and prevents Mac from stepping up:








Everyone here is blaming Mac, but from my vantage he made that one bad interception that ended up not actually costing us points as we came back and scored. No run game meant no play action either.

While you didn't post this video originally (I assume), this is a great analysis of our current situation. That's great content.

We can overcome it. Mac has shown he will make the right reads.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

He threw a haymaker out of nowhere and Douglas had no idea it was coming. That ball probably would’ve been stripped from our other receivers too.

No, he was holding the ball unprotected by his body.