How Belichick lost his place in posterity

[Tunescribe]

I blame Patricia more than Belichick for the defense in that one, save for the Butler decision - which was inexcusable. That whole conservative approach killed them and the difference between that and how Flores ran things (way more aggressive) was striking and they’ve seemingly stayed with it ever since.

Yes regarding Patricia's defense. But no one can say definitively that the Butler decision was inexcusable or a key difference maker. Perhaps so on both counts, but we never will know until we learn Belichick's side of the story.

These Malcolm Butler stats might help explain his Super Bowl benching

It's been very easy for the media and fans to question Bill Belichick's decision to bench Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII, because the game was a defensive nightmare for both teams. Had the Patriots been able to put together one really good defensive stand, it…

patriotswire.usatoday.com

A Closer Look At One Football Reason Why Malcolm Butler Didn't Play For Patriots In Super Bowl

We might never get the full, honest answer from Belichick, but it turns out that the AFC Championship Game tape against Jacksonville does provide some reason why the Patriots might have lost trust in having Butler on the field.

www.cbsnews.com

Why did the Patriots bench Malcolm Butler? Here’s everything we know.

He’d been sick before the game.

www.sbnation.com

Report: Malcolm Butler's Super Bowl benching stemmed from argument with Matt Patricia

The New England Patriots were without Malcolm Butler for Super Bowl LII after the cornerback got into an argument with then-defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, according to a book from ESPN's Seth Wickersham. In the book, "It's Better to Be Feared," Wickersham wro

patriotswire.usatoday.com

Malcolm Butler not playing may have been foreshadowed by how he got to Super Bowl

Perhaps the biggest shock of Super Bowl LII was that Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, who participated in more snaps (98 percent) than any other New England defender during the season, did not play.He was active and dressed on the…

www.sandiegouniontribune.com

2 stops on 3rd down at most - which Butler undoubtedly would have gotten and Jordan Richards didn't...would have flipped the outcome. No question about it.

Your conclusion is questionable at best considering the passive zone they were running. The Patriots went into that game planning to outlast Philly offensively and almost did.

 

[signbabybrady]

What people don't consider is the outcome could have been worse and likely would have been. Butler was terrible in 2017.

This is the type of stuff that ticks me off about the Bill haters (don't stoop to their levels) isn't there a way to make your point without having to be so brutal to Butler?

 

[signbabybrady]

Well sorta. reid went to NFC title games and superbowl without Mahomes. Bill won 1 playoff game in 10 years with a losing record.

Who do you think is the better coach Bill or Reid?

 

[Wozzy]

This is the type of stuff that ticks me off about the Bill haters (don't stoop to their levels) isn't there a way to make your point without having to be so brutal to Butler?

Everything comes to an end in the NFL, careers, dynasties… people need to get over it.

Butler burned bright, but for a very short period of time. What he accomplished was amazing, his story should be made into a movie. He had no business making the NFL nevermind winning a Super Bowl or making a pro bowl… but he did it anyway.

But the funniest part about the “Malcolm would have won the SB in 2017 if not for BB” narrative… is after college Butler was working the fry station at Popeyes Chicken and nobody called… except one team. The Pat’s.

He was a try hard guy, total blue collar worker who played above his athleticism. Bottom line is Stephon Gilmore was the type of athlete you make the highest paid CB in the league, Butler was more JC Jackson who looked great in this scheme but got exposed outside of it. BB paid the right guy.

This isn’t much different from jokers here suggesting Brady made BB… when Bill continued playing Brady despite Bledsoe being the NFL’s first 100 million dollar man and the entire assembled media telling us Bill was making a mistake by continuing to play Tom.

Small minds….

 

[Ian]

What people don't consider is the outcome could have been worse and likely would have been. Butler was terrible in 2017.

You’re sort of talking like he was worse than Myles Bryant, and even Bryant could make a play in-between giving up a big gain. And Butler wasn’t great but he was certainly adequate in the postseason.

In the end, they played short handed that game and needed him. I don’t fault Bill for much but that’s one I’ll never get over.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Well sorta. reid went to NFC title games and superbowl without Mahomes. Bill won 1 playoff game in 10 years with a losing record.

He didn't win the Super Bowl and the NFC that year was weak.

Reid is a HoF coach but let's not inflate the rest of his career now that he has a HoF QB.

 

[Ian]

Well sorta. reid went to NFC title games and superbowl without Mahomes. Bill won 1 playoff game in 10 years with a losing record.

Reid is a great coach but he had better QBs. Bill only had the span in Cleveland where he eventually went with Testeverde, and then Newton and Mac. Not the same sample size due to Brady’s tenure. That’s what skews that argument. I’ve said it before, but context definitely matters.

 

[RobertWeathers]

You’re sort of talking like he was worse than Myles Bryant, and even Bryant could make a play in-between giving up a big gain. And Butler wasn’t great but he was certainly adequate in the postseason.

In the end, they played short handed that game and needed him. I don’t fault Bill for much but that’s one I’ll never get over.

I still struggle why everyone jumps to blame Bill and not Malcolm for his role in the benching.

Malcolm even admitted he wasn't "100% dialed in" to play the game.

 

[Ian]

Yes regarding Patricia's defense. But no one can say definitively that the Butler decision was inexcusable or a key difference maker. Perhaps so on both counts, but we never will know until we learn Belichick's side of the story.

These Malcolm Butler stats might help explain his Super Bowl benching

It's been very easy for the media and fans to question Bill Belichick's decision to bench Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII, because the game was a defensive nightmare for both teams. Had the Patriots been able to put together one really good defensive stand, it…

patriotswire.usatoday.com

A Closer Look At One Football Reason Why Malcolm Butler Didn't Play For Patriots In Super Bowl

We might never get the full, honest answer from Belichick, but it turns out that the AFC Championship Game tape against Jacksonville does provide some reason why the Patriots might have lost trust in having Butler on the field.

www.cbsnews.com

Why did the Patriots bench Malcolm Butler? Here’s everything we know.

He’d been sick before the game.

www.sbnation.com

Report: Malcolm Butler's Super Bowl benching stemmed from argument with Matt Patricia

The New England Patriots were without Malcolm Butler for Super Bowl LII after the cornerback got into an argument with then-defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, according to a book from ESPN's Seth Wickersham. In the book, "It's Better to Be Feared," Wickersham wro

patriotswire.usatoday.com

Malcolm Butler not playing may have been foreshadowed by how he got to Super Bowl

Perhaps the biggest shock of Super Bowl LII was that Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, who participated in more snaps (98 percent) than any other New England defender during the season, did not play.He was active and dressed on the…

www.sandiegouniontribune.com

Your conclusion is questionable at best considering the passive zone they were running. The Patriots went into that game planning to outlast Philly offensively and almost did.

He should have played Butler in the second half. At that point, whatever penalty he was trying to instill would have been levied and his team suffered due to that decision.

Again, I don’t fault him for much, but that was a bad call and it was evident just based on what guys like McCourty - who obviously enjoyed playing for him - said in the documentary.

 

[Ian]

I still struggle why everyone jumps to blame Bill and not Malcolm for his role in the benching.

Malcolm even admitted he wasn't "100% dialed in" to play the game.

I get benching him, but for the entire game given how it was going? I feel like it falls under the whole “cut off your nose to spite your face” thing. Brady was on fire and they needed a stop, or at least a chance to rotate a guy out and give him a breather.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I get benching him, but for the entire game given how it was going? I feel like it falls under the whole “cut off your nose to spite your face” thing. Brady was on fire and they needed a stop, or at least a chance to rotate a guy out and give him a breather.

My newest theory is MB showed up on gameday with booze on his breath which is why Bill didn't play him.

 

[Ian]

I still struggle why everyone jumps to blame Bill and not Malcolm for his role in the benching.

Malcolm even admitted he wasn't "100% dialed in" to play the game.

I’m not on Butler’s side, BTW. But you get what you need that day and then cut bait with him. Now Brady is the answer to the trivia question, “Who is the only QB to lose a Super Bowl after throwing for over 500yds?”

 

[Wozzy]

You’re sort of talking like he was worse than Myles Bryant, and even Bryant could make a play in-between giving up a big gain. And Butler wasn’t great but he was certainly adequate in the postseason.

In the end, they played short handed that game and needed him. I don’t fault Bill for much but that’s one I’ll never get over.

In 2017 he was terrible. He was disgruntled about his contract, he got abused on the field. Against the Dolphins he got smoked by Jay Cutler and a 5 foot tall WR named Jakeem Grant, then had the balls to go on socials and blame his coaches after the game.

He went to the Titans and they benched him for their nickel corner. He was an overachiever who looked good with Darrell Revis on one side and an amazing defense around him. He peaked in 2016.

The biggest mistake BB made in 2017 wasn’t about playing Butler in the SB, it was not trading him to the Saints in the offseason when they offered a 2nd round pick for him. BB was holding out for their second first round pick. He could have used that 2nd rounder on another defensive lineman.

 

[vicspats]

Butler gave up six touchdowns in coverage in 2017 tying for third-most at the CB position, while also yielding the 11th-most yards at 698 and ranking 108th in yards after the catch. He was rated 92nd in QB passer rating when targeted... 92nd. He was arguably the worst starting CB in the league.

Then he went to Tennessee on a big contract and was immediately benched in favor of their nickel CB Adoree Jackson. Meanwhile the guy who started in place of Butler in that Super Bowl Eric Rowe went on to have a nice little career, he was a better player going forward.

Butler being the reason why they lost in 2017 is the dumbest take in Dynasty talk... only surpassed by one person was entirely/more responsible for the entire thing. Butler peaked in 2016.

Hey there !!! Stop making sense with facts and crap!! Cut it out …

 

[Ian]

My newest theory is MB showed up on gameday with booze on his breath which is why Bill didn't play him.

That’s a good theory…although, you would think at least one player would have caught that. It’s definitely bizarre that not a single guy knows the answer as to why he was benched. Just bizarre.

 

[Ian]

In 2017 he was terrible. He was disgruntled about his contract, he got abused on the field. Against the Dolphins he got smoked by Jay Cutler and a 5 foot tall WR named Jakeem Grant, then had the balls to go on socials and blame his coaches after the game.

He went to the Titans and they benched him for their nickel corner. He was an overachiever who looked good with Darrell Revis on one side and an amazing defense around him. He peaked in 2016.

The biggest mistake BB made in 2017 wasn’t about playing Butler in the SB, it was not trading him to the Saints in the offseason when they offered a 2nd round pick for him. BB was holding out for their second first round pick. He could have used that 2nd rounder on another defensive lineman.

I hear you, but he played well enough in the postseason prior to that game. Again, everyone was gassed and they needed one stop. I’m sure he was at fault for whatever he did, but sitting him for the entirety definitely hurt them.

 

[Salsalife]

Mayo cancels O.T.A.s until April 8th. He had a chance to begin a little early but changed his mind? Is his staff ready???

 

[vicspats]

That’s a good theory…although, you would think at least one player would have caught that. It’s definitely bizarre that not a single guy knows the answer as to why he was benched. Just bizarre.

Always wondered to the validity of the “ fooling around with one of the coaches wives” rumors. We will probly never know.

 

[Ian]

Always wondered to the validity of the “ fooling around with one of the coaches wives” rumors. We will probly never know.

I think it had to be something similar to what @RobertWeathers suggested…just an odd situation.

 

[Ian]

Mayo cancels O.T.A.s until April 8th. He had a chance to begin a little early but changed his mind? Is his staff ready???

Said last week he wanted to use this week after being on the road scouting to get everyone (coaches/coordinators, etc.) on the same page. That’s why he moved it back a week.