Bill's Decisions, Good & Bad

[NFL Mystique]

Yep my bad. His third. Changed it. Don't know why I forgot about him especially after LI.

He sure talks like Bill denied him his only shot at a ring....

I think he hated Bill. He wouldn't be the first either. Other than Tom Brady, Bill probably had free reign to bench/release any player without the owner's permission.

 

[signbabybrady]

 

[signbabybrady]

I think he hated Bill. He wouldn't be the first either. Other than Tom Brady, Bill probably had free reign to bench/release any player without the owner's permission.

Equally as strange as this boards hate

 

[TheRainMaker]

I'm going to try to go in order:

The Good:

- Getting rid of the overpaid veterans between 2000 and 2001. I hated it at the time, but they were either getting old or their production had taken a massive drop like Coates, Jefferson, Chris Slade, Lane and Rucci.
- Drafting Tom Brady, keeping him on the roster and not caving to Bobby in benching Brady for Bledsoe.
- Signing verterans Anthony Pleasant, Bobby Hamilton, Roman Phifer, Brian Cox, Larry Izzo, Terrell Buckley, Terrance Shaw and others.
- Drafting Richard Seymour when the consensus was David Terrell or Kenyatta Walker.
- The game plan against the Rams.
- Trading Drew Bledsoe. Buffalo was an odd destination, but it got them a 1st round pick.
- Trading for Ted Washington, signing Rodney Harrison, Rosevelt Colvin and releasing Lawyer Milloy. Milloy would've been like Dugger playing the FS spot and getting cooked.
- Drafting Ty Warren when Dwayne Robertson was mocked to the Pats.
- Taking the safety in Denver.
- Trading for Corey Dillon. These types of trades just don't happen anymore for RB's.
- Drafting Wilfork
- Signing Keith Traylor
- Trading for Randy Moss and Wes Welker.
- Signing Adalius Thomas. He was lights out in 2007, but he was over it after he broke his forearm in 2008.
- Keeping Eldeman around when he himself was paranoid he was going to be cut given where he was drafted.
- Drafting Gronk and Hernanadez.
- Signing Danny "Woodcock".
- Signing Andre Carter and Mark Anderson who both had 10 sacks.
- Signing Bradnon Lloyd and trading for Aqib Talib.
- Drafting Chandler Jones and Donta Hightower.
- Letting Welker walk.
- Letting the unreliable Talib go for Revis.
- Signing Malcolm Butler as a FA. Trusting him in the Super Bowl after he had a rough week of practice.
- Signing Alan Branch
- Signing Dion Lewis
- Trading for Akiem Hicks
- Signing Chris Hogan
- Signing Stephen Gilmore. Very controversial, but he proved many wrong.
- Not drafting Lamar Jackson in 2018.
- Changing the offensive philosophy after the Pittsburgh game .
- Early game plan vs Chiefs and holding down the Rams the entire game.
- Signing Matt Judon to a bargain deal.
- Drafting Christian Gonzalez.

The Bad:

- Releasing Larry Whigham was completely unnecessary.
- Letting Ty Law walk when a 3 peat was on the line.
- Did a poor job with the LB's after Bruschi had a stroke and Ted Johnson left.
- The Deion Branch situation was handled very poorly. They fined him more than what his salary was that year, so there was no going back for Branch. A deal could've been made like it was for Samuel after the 2006 season to avoid that nonsense.
- Not kicking the field goal in SB42 on 4th and 13.
- Not challenging the clear Pierre Woods fumble recovery.
- Not taking over for Pees on the final drive of SB42.
- No plan for Samuel's departure in 2008. The two midget CB's drafted were brutal.
- Drafting a QB in the 3rd round (Kevin O'Connell) after their QB just had a record breaking season.
- The 4th and 2 in Indy. Idiotic.
- Sitting Welker out for the first drive against the Jets in the playoff game. This isn't pop warner.
- Having the 1st pick in the 2nd round with all night to think about the pick and took a player who had multiple ACL injuries since HIGH SCHOOL in Ras-I-Dowling.
- Not taking over on the final drive of SB46.
- Drafting Dominique Easley for no reason.
- Wasting another high pick (2nd round) on Jimmy G when your starting QB was in dire need of help.
- Not signing Emmanuel Sanders one year after they tried as a restricted FA. Sanders said he was set to sign with NE as long as they gave him the Amendola deal. Bill refused which was a mistake that haunted them in 2015.
- The handling of the 2015 season losing the #1 seed. Then continually going for it for no reason instead of field goals which would've won them the game.
- Letting Akiem Hicks walk because of Easley.
- The Butler situation.
- Passing on Samuel, Brown and Metcalf for Harry.
- Drafting a CB in the 2nd round (Williams) when they were already 5 deep.
- Brining in Jerod Mayo to coach.
- Trading for Sanu.
- Trading down and drafting Kyle Dugger.
- Signing Jalen Mills. Pointless signing.
- The dreaded trade down and then taking Cole Strange.
- Matt Patricia and Joe Judge running the offense.

 

[sb1]

To add to what was said already:

Bad: Trying to lawyer up THAT memo and taping the Jets anyway
Bad: Sitting Stidham in the last 2 weeks of the 2020 season for no reason
Bad: His defense being totally unprepared for the wild card game in Buffalo
Bad: Matt Patricia, Offensive Coordinator
Bad: Giving Joe Judge a job at all after what he allegedly said about Brady
Bad: Bailey Zappe in the 4th round over Sam Howell
Bad: Letting Meyers walk and signing Juju
Bad: Trading down in the first round in the 22 draft then reaching up to draft Cole Strange
Bad: Calling the Ebner dropkick for no reason costing his team a winnable game
Good: Taking the time to patch things up with Tom Brady after the Bucs game in 2021
Good: The call for Brady to throw deep to Brown to beat the Dolphins in Miami in 03. Legendary
Good: The adjustment made at halftime in Super Bowl 49 when the defense was getting depantsed by Chris Matthews

 

[signbabybrady]

Look at all that fake news

 

[Tunescribe]

Here's a GREAT BB decision:

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Here's a GREAT BB decision:

These types of posts should have a 1000 positive comments. Moss and Belichick love each other.

 

[Tunescribe]

These types of posts should have a 1000 positive comments. Moss and Belichick love each other.

Agreed. BB has shot himself in the feet a few times of late, but the man sure as hell should NOT be demonized -- especially by folks in this forum.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Agreed. BB has shot himself in the feet a few times of late, but the man sure as hell should NOT be demonized -- especially by folks in this forum.

BB only shot himself in the foot if you care about his GF. I do not care. We will see what happens after BB is inducted into the NFL HOF in August 2026.

Do you think most fans care if RKK is inducted into the NFL HOF? No, most do not care. Do you think Randy Moss, or Bruschi, or Seymour, or Law, or Harrison, or even Brady care about RKK in the PFHOF? They could not care less. But they will all stand up and cheer for BB's entry into the NFL HOF.

 

[XLIX]

BB only shot himself in the foot if you care about his GF. I do not care. We will see what happens after BB is inducted into the NFL HOF in August 2026.

Do you think most fans care if RKK is inducted into the NFL HOF? No, most do not care. Do you think Randy Moss, or Bruschi, or Seymour, or Law, or Harrison, or even Brady care about RKK in the PFHOF? They could not care less. But they will all stand up and cheer for BB's entry into the NFL HOF.

Bull. I bet Brady cares a great deal about Kraft getting into the hall of fame. They are clearly very close and have been for going on a quarter century.

Moss was more of a short timer but Bruschi and Law? Guys that were here when Kraft took over? I think it’s silly to suggest they don’t care.

 

[upstater1]

Butler has seemed to own up to the fact he made a mistake. At least later on. And he signed a few years later. Why would he do that if he felt he got benched without a valid reason? There is no way Bill would have kept him benched if it was a late meeting or terrible practices. Not after Bademosi, Richards, and Rowe were getting shredded like crazy. Two years earlier Bill benched Arrington for Butler. And it helped save the game.

I just remembered that Tom Brady never took the field in that game with a lead. Everything was played on the Eagles terms. A ten point lead may very well have forced Foles to crumble.

Patriots also didn't make the crucial plays and the Eagles did.

For instance, the Philly Special (which is an absurd name when you consider the Patriots did that exact same play earlier in the game [Amendola threw a bad pass, but hey he's not a QB] and that the Patriots used it against the Eagles for a huge gain the year before). The fumble Graham caused, a lot of open receivers in the flat, and ESPECIALLY the two bogus pass reception calls made using different rules by the NFL front office. If the first was a catch, the second one wasn't (and vice versa). But Troy Vincent, the former Eagle, ruled in favor of his team, and that was his revenge for being challenged during Deflategate. Chris Collinsworth was cackling in wonderment over the absurdity of the NFL changing a rule ONLY for the Super Bowl, and then calling it with the old rules and the new rules on different plays, as suited Vincent's whim, as long as both decisions went against the Patriots.

BTW, I know Butler has acknowledged something, but he also has said he didn't know. We also tend to forget that Butler faded badly at the end of that year, that the Eagles WRs were all huge, like Alshon Jeffrey, but not necessarily quick or even fast. It made sense to put Rowe on Jeffrey, and really Rowe had the much longer career than Butler after that game. It might've actually been a football decision. I might be mistaken but didn't Bademosi only have like 10 plays after Chung got injured? The bleeding started long before Bademosi took the field, and I don't think Butler ever played safety anyway (though he couldn't be worse than Bademosi at safety).

 

[upstater1]

Now that we've had a whole year to look at draft picks from the last several years, I have a new sense of our prior Belichick drafts and free agents in terms of our rebuild.

The good: Dugger, Anfernee, Onwenu, Henry, Judon, Tavai, Barmore, Rham, Marcus Jones, Gonzo, Boutte, Pop Douglas, Hawkins, Baringer.

The bad: Uche, Asiasi, Keene, Mac Jones, Perkins, Tyquan, Pierre Strong, Keion White, Mapu, Sow

I have Dugger as good because he fit in Belichick's scheme and had 2 really good years (one of them a great year) under Belichick. He would still be on this team if he fit the new scheme.

I have Keion White as a bust because not only did he not fit Vrabel's scheme, but I've watched him in SF and he's the same guy who can only get some push on OL in the pass rush, he can collapse the pocket, but he has no moves, and he's poor against the run. Bad pick.

Then there are the guys who have solidified a starting position for their new teams: Jake Andrews, Ryland and Froholdt. We should've kept the two OL.

Then there are the guys whose futures remain to be seen: The Phins really like Cole Strange and the fans think he's their best lineman, he's even walked out as the captain for the last several games. We'll see if he signs a contract with them. His future has yet to be written. Then there's Jack Jones who has finally looked good out there for the Dolphins, but he is a headcase who can (and probably will) blow up.

 

[brdmaverick]

Good: Not calling the timeout in SB 49.

Bad: Going for it on 4th and 13 in SB 42 while in FG range.

Ooh that's a good one, the 4th and 13 in the Super Bowl....especially with it being indoors. Gost could have made it.

For me it will ALWAYS be the Malcolm Butler benching in the eagles Super Bowl. Literally just one defensive stop could have changed that game.

 

[brdmaverick]

Bill's best decision ever has to be sticking with Brady despite Drew having the history, the fanbase, and the financial investment. Looks easy in hindsight now, but what incredible guts that took.

Next best I would say getting rid of the aging, yet fan favorite, Lawyer Milloy when he did. Rodney Harrison and Eugene WIlson turned out to be a great starting safety duo.

As for game-specific X's and O's....my favorite had to be the 2014 Division Playoff game against the Ravens in whcih they had Shane Vereen tagged as an ineligible reciever (making one of the 'traditional lineman' an eligible reciever)....and waiting for the second half to use it (so they coudln't discuss it at halftime)

 

[Bill Lee]

The good: Dugger, Anfernee, Onwenu, Henry, Judon, Tavai, Barmore, Rham, Marcus Jones, Gonzo, Boutte, Pop Douglas, Hawkins, Baringer.

Personally, I have Douglas in the 'meh' category. He was probably hyped up too much. Definitely not the next Welker/Edleman/yada yada. He's made the roster, but not really impressing me on the field.

Then there are the guys who have solidified a starting position for their new teams: Jake Andrews, Ryland and Froholdt. We should've kept the two OL.

Then there are the guys whose futures remain to be seen: The Phins really like Cole Strange and the fans think he's their best lineman, he's even walked out as the captain for the last several games. We'll see if he signs a contract with them. His future has yet to be written. Then there's Jack Jones who has finally looked good out there for the Dolphins, but he is a headcase who can (and probably will) blow up.

Overall, BB was pretty lost once Scar retired. Doug Marrone has been an unsung hero here, IMO. I too wish we could cherry-pick who we kept and who we dropped, but the past is the past. Players mature on different time lines, react to different coaches different ways, etc.

 

[SVN]

Ooh that's a good one, the 4th and 13 in the Super Bowl....especially with it being indoors. Gost could have made it.

For me it will ALWAYS be the Malcolm Butler benching in the eagles Super Bowl. Literally just one defensive stop could have changed that game.

BB acknowledge on the jim gray podcast the 4th and 13 was bad call.

 

[SVN]

Bill's best decision ever has to be sticking with Brady despite Drew having the history, the fanbase, and the financial investment. Looks easy in hindsight now, but what incredible guts that took.

Next best I would say getting rid of the aging, yet fan favorite, Lawyer Milloy when he did. Rodney Harrison and Eugene WIlson turned out to be a great starting safety duo.

As for game-specific X's and O's....my favorite had to be the 2014 Division Playoff game against the Ravens in whcih they had Shane Vereen tagged as an ineligible reciever (making one of the 'traditional lineman' an eligible reciever)....and waiting for the second half to use it (so they coudln't discuss it at halftime)

The broncos intentional safety was also a good one.

 

[brdmaverick]

I still contend that the 4th & 2 call at Indy in 2009 was the right call.

Sure, EVERYONE has the luxury of deciding if it was the right call or not based on the outcome of the play, but coaches don't have that luxury when they make the decision. Given all circumstances in that game, I still believe Manning goes 80 yards down the field if he has to. In that specific game situation, I trust my defense to get 2 yards than to stop Peyton on four downs.