PostGame Thread Patriots Lose to the Dolphins 15-10, Drop to 1-4

[mgteich]

The Pats are OK at QB if Maye works out, WR is only missing a #1, RB is close, TE is OK, OG is OK. Need a Center, 2 tackles, and WR1. Not too far off. Could use a CB2, another DE and DT and ILB. Those 4 defensive positions could be signed in FA with over $100M in cap space. If Maye is OK we really only need to draft 2 tackles, WR and a Center. Doable in one draft if we trade down to get extra picks, but most likely two drafts.

Of course we need new coaching. We should be OK in 2026 with some good management.

If we do all that you laid out in getting player upgrades, the coaches will be fine. IMO, the only coach that is truly at risk is the OC.

Of course, if we don't get most what we need in 2025, then the issue is a GM issue, not a coaching issue.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Of course, if we don't get most what we need in 2025, then the issue is a GM issue, not a coaching issue.

GM issue or an owners issue or both. No excuse not to sign 3 or 4 defensive guys in the 2025 FA.

 

[TheRainMaker]

The Pats have needs just about at every position. There is no good young core in place like there was in 2000 that would help make a 1-2 year turnaround possible. They were 4-13 for a reason and now that doesn't look like the bottom.

I wouldn’t say they were a young core, but they had players in place that had playoff/Super Bowl experience such as Bledsoe, Glenn, Brown, Law, McGinest, Milloy, Johnson and Bruschi. I purposely left off Vinatieri because he struggled badly prior to 2001.

This team has players bizarrely overpaid for accomplishing very little.

 

[Pats2000]

The rule that was applied was the toe-heel rule," said Stewart. "What happened was he did have one foot down in the field of play and at the completion of the second step, he had his toe in the field of play, but his heel came down on the white line out of bounds. So, he did not have two feet in bounds at the conclusion of the catch."

Wait, so if he had dragged his foot out of bounds by the toe, that would have been a catch, but putting your foot down after touching with your your and having the heel out of bounds is not a catch? What a stupid ****ing rule

 

[The Gr8est]

It’s just unacceptable. I’m legit beginning to hate the Kraft family.

How much of the problem is the culture that the Krafts have allowed to develop?

I remember the reports of Jonathan’s involvement in the draft process that led to the selection of Maye. Is Jonathan going to be a meddler?

Is it possible that some of the inexplicable moves in recent years by BB, like the Joe Judge and Matt Patricia could have been a result of bad blood between BB and the Krafts, and was a BB version of “in your face”?

BB doesn’t seem the type to air grievances in public, so could something like that be his pushback?

I wonder if a solution of hiring a GM that BB respected, along with the Krafts being seen and not heard, could have led to a better situation than we are seeing today.

 

[signbabybrady]

Wait, so if he had dragged his foot out of bounds by the toe, that would have been a catch, but putting your foot down after touching with your your and having the heel out of bounds is not a catch? What a stupid ****ing rule

It's really not that dumb otherwise everytime we have sideline catch we would have to analyze the minutiae of wether his heel or toe hit down first.

This way whatever part of the foot you do get down you just have to be sure the whole print is inbounds.

I will admit that with better cameras and camera angles this might not be as hard as it once was when the rule was first written. maybe worth considering a rewrite to somehow account for something like today where it seems a little more exaggerated that the toe was clearly inbounds first but i'm not sure exactly how that would be worded and applied.

 

[jmt57]

As of this moment the Patriots own the first pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Tankathon | 2026 NFL Draft Order

2026 NFL Draft order tracker updated after every game. View traded picks in all seven rounds and a live updating Mock Draft after each game.

www.tankathon.com

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Wait, so if he had dragged his foot out of bounds by the toe, that would have been a catch, but putting your foot down after touching with your your and having the heel out of bounds is not a catch? What a stupid ****ing rule

That is how I understand the rule too.

What if his elbow hit out of bounds before his heel? Then it is a catch?

 

[ViperGTS]

Saw some early useless mock draft that had the Pats getting a CB with the first pick.

Yeah, okay.

 

[The Gr8est]

That is how I understand the rule too.

What if his elbow hit out of bounds before his heel? Then it is a catch?

I think so.

I think any other body part than his heel, would be a good catch.

 

[Ring 6]

Yes, the Defense needs to be more disciplined. But the Defense is doing plenty well enough to expect to win.

WHO IS AT RISK?
=========
The HC and GM a 2-4 year plan, one that the owners have certainly approved. I expect Mayo and Wolf to be given at least two years and likely three.
=======
Each coach and coordinator has his job and responsibility. Who will fail and be fired after one year?
Defensive coordinator?
DL coaches?
LB coaches?
secondary coaches?

Special Teams Coordinator?

Offensive Coordinator?
OL coaches?
Offensive assistant (designated QB guru)?
QB coach?
TE coach?
RB coach?
WR coach?
=========
ANSWER
The two at real risk are the OC and the WR coach. After only 5 games, the rest are already doing enough to stary for a couple of years.

The person most at risk should be the Gm for his failure in building a roster and hiring a good coaching staff.

Why would the WR coach be at risk and the OL and Qb coach not?

 

[Ring 6]

The Pats are OK at QB if Maye works out, WR is only missing a #1, RB is close, TE is OK, OG is OK. Need a Center, 2 tackles, and WR1. Not too far off. Could use a CB2, another DE and DT and ILB. Those 4 defensive positions could be signed in FA with over $100M in cap space. If Maye is OK we really only need to draft 2 tackles, WR and a Center. Doable in one draft if we trade down to get extra picks, but most likely two drafts.

Of course we need new coaching. We should be OK in 2026 with some good management.

You are missing the fact that the bottom half of the roster could be the worst of the free agency era.

 

[Ring 6]

Wait, so if he had dragged his foot out of bounds by the toe, that would have been a catch, but putting your foot down after touching with your your and having the heel out of bounds is not a catch? What a stupid ****ing rule

I don’t understand how people are calling the most basic rule in the sport stupid. Both feet need to be in bounds. End of story. If part of your foot is out of bounds, you are out of bounds. If you run down the sideline with the ball and part of your foot is in bounds and part is out of bounds, what are you? Out of bounds of course.
If you land and only part of your foot touches the ground and it’s all in bounds you are in bounds. When you see a “toe tap” none of the foot lands out of bounds.

 

[festy1986]

It's really not that dumb otherwise everytime we have sideline catch we would have to analyze the minutiae of wether his heel or toe hit down first.

This way whatever part of the foot you do get down you just have to be sure the whole print is inbounds.

I will admit that with better cameras and camera angles this might not be as hard as it once was when the rule was first written. maybe worth considering a rewrite to somehow account for something like today where it seems a little more exaggerated that the toe was clearly inbounds first but i'm not sure exactly how that would be worded and applied.

Except had he fell on his ass after telling his toe it would of been a TD.

Instead, once the toe tapped and then the rest of the foot continued outside of inbounds, it's not.

This makes no sense. Why is a toe tap ok in one scenario but not in the next.

 

[festy1986]

I don’t understand how people are calling the most basic rule in the sport stupid. Both feet need to be in bounds. End of story. If part of your foot is out of bounds, you are out of bounds. If you run down the sideline with the ball and part of your foot is in bounds and part is out of bounds, what are you? Out of bounds of course.
If you land and only part of your foot touches the ground and it’s all in bounds you are in bounds. When you see a “toe tap” none of the foot lands out of bounds.

You don't understand it because you don't have eyes. The moment he tapped his second foot inbounds, it's TD. Play is dead.

Had he tapped his two feet like he did and fell backwards without his heel touching the out of bounds, it's a TD. So why is it that when your ass is out of bounds the play is over and the TD stands but when both feet are in bounds it's not and we have to wait to see which part of you body hits out of bounds next?

It's a catch. It'll come up again this season and they'll rule a completely different way as they always do.

 

[signbabybrady]

Except had he fell on his ass after telling his toe it would of been a TD.

Instead, once the toe tapped and then the rest of the foot continued outside of inbounds, it's not.

This makes no sense. Why is a toe tap ok in one scenario but not in the next.

The element of time or some sort of weird body position aside it makes perfect sense if you just consider the foot print that would be left behind by a toe drag compared to a toe-heel.

Either way toe-heel is not a new term nor a new rule wether you think it was dumb or not it was applied the way it's written. Kind of like the tuck rule was correctly applied regardless of what you think of that rule.

 

[festy1986]

The element of time or some sort of weird body position aside it makes perfect sense if you just consider the foot print that would be left behind by a toe drag compared to a toe-heel.

Either way toe-heel is not a new term nor a new rule wether you think it was dumb or not it was applied the way it's written. Kind of like the tuck rule was correctly applied regardless of what you think of that rule.

Why is the play not dead when both feet are in bounds and possession is secured? Why is there a element of wait and see what the entire foot does when that isn't the case when it's a toe tap?

 

[signbabybrady]

Why is the play not dead when both feet are in bounds and possession is secured? Why is there a element of wait and see what the entire foot does when that isn't the case when it's a toe tap?

 

[festy1986]

This is your answer as to why?

Just wait until this happens to KC and they don't rule it the same way.

Incoming rule clarification that makes sense. Count on it.

 

[slash83]

Now that I’ve had time to reflect on the game, I blame the loss on the teams god awful uniforms. Goodnight.