why you know that the Apocalypse is upon us.....

patfanken · Apr 29, 2019

..... ESPN thinks the Pats had the best draft in the league.

This has GOT to be one of the more baffling drafts in a LONG stretch of baffling drafts over the last 20 years.

1. If there was ONE thing we knew for certain, the Pats NEVER draft a WR in the first...and then we did. Go figure

2. If there was ONE thing we knew going into the draft was we didn't need to draft a CB or RB in the first 2 days....and then we did. Go figure

3. If there was one thing we knew for certain was that we desperately needed to draft a TE in the first 2 days.....and then we DIDN'T (or on the 3rd day for that matter). Go figure

4. We have one of the better C's in the league with 2 more years left on his contract, on the cheap, and yet we picked up TWO more on day 3. Go figure

5. This was one of the better DT drafts in a decade. We needed at least one and we didn't get one. It was one of the better TE drafts in a decade. We needed one and we didn't get one. Go figure

I can "rationalize" all the picks we DID make. "they are for depth". "They are for match ups". "They will be needed in later years" "we are zigging when everyone else is zagging". "We have many more months before the final roster is in"

I get it. I know the drill. I probably know the results, which will be to see the Pats once again playing meaningful games in January. BUT lets not pretend that no one finds the results of this particular draft mind numbing, not only for who we didn't draft, but for who we did.

So while we all chant our favorite proven mantra "In Bill we trust", it will be understandable because for the most part, Bill has EARNED that trust many time over in course of 2 decades running the ship. BUT certainly there are valid reasons to at least QUESTION some of the picks made. Where is the TE? Where is the outside speed? Why ANOTHER RB? Why so many OLmen and so few on the DL? 10 picks and holes still left to fill.

So (getting back to the OP) I'm watching NFL live and they doing an exercise of who won the draft. Spoiler Alert! We did!

The Kraft scandal not withstanding, we have WON. Superbowl #6 is in the books. Brady leads all merchandise sales. Christ, we could have drafted 10 kickers and and prevailing common wisdom would be that the Patriots are smarter than any other organization. Because this IS the prevailing common wisdom.

Other teams can draft elite athletes, and build more talented rosters, but put them up against Tom Brady, BB, and 21 JAG's and the Pats will be favored to win the game. ESPN believes it now. The NFL Network believes it now. And all the fans from the OTHER 31 teams, deep in their souls, believe it now. It no longer is a matter who who plays on this team it is just the way this team is currently PERCEIVED.

And although it's taken over a decade, and haters still exist, and the NFL is still out to get us, we have WON. That battle that began in 2007 and exacerbated in 2014 is OVER. This is now the team that cannot do anything wrong or stupid. Every move we make is brilliant, and every strategic choice is a winner.

I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it. We ALL should

Pat the Pats Fan · Apr 29, 2019

I sense a bit of sarcasm...

NashuaPats · Apr 29, 2019

I don't hear as many people calling the Pats cheaters lately which is great. It seems they're finally getting their due credit.

I don't agree with us not needing a RB. We had Patterson playing as the main RB in a couple of games last year. It was definitely a position of need.

Silver Blue&Red · Apr 29, 2019

You hit it on the head "in Bill we trust".

It just works.

SlowGettingUp · Apr 29, 2019

patfanken said:
..... ESPN thinks the Pats had the best draft in the league.

This has GOT to be one of the more baffling drafts in a LONG stretch of baffling drafts over the last 20 years.

I think a lot can be explained here by Bill thinking 2 years ahead instead of just this season. What's Gilmore's cap hit going to be next year? What's Thuney going to want to be paid?

But it's not just that. Last year we often couldn't convert a 3rd/4th and short. So a big-bodied RB was in fact a need.

And some of this is Bill zigging when everyone else is zagging. Other teams have moved to speedy, lighter LBs. So more emphasis on power running. And lots of super-fast corners out there - so the move to the 6-2 and over receivers. (Not just this draft - look at the all the big receivers we now have - must be five of them). Last few years we had a lot of trouble covering the big TEs we faced - so a big corner has become a must-have.

The TE issue is indeed puzzling. Either we are moving on from the 2 TE sets, or they have a trade lined up (or they think Gronk is coming back).

RobertWeathers · Apr 29, 2019

That peaceful, uneasy feeling....

RelocatedPatFan · Apr 29, 2019

ESPN has been hating on the Pats and they’ve done nothing but win. So they are trying the opposite and hoping they lose.

They fail to understand that the Patriots organization doesn’t care what they think and neither do most of us fans

P.S. even if Gronk comes back you have to look at it like 1 year rentals and draft one if you needed one.

fnordcircle · Apr 29, 2019

patfanken said:
2. If there was ONE thing we knew going into the draft was we didn't need to draft a CB or RB in the first 2 days....and then we did. Go figure

3. If there was one thing we knew for certain was that we desperately needed to draft a TE in the first 2 days.....and then we DIDN'T (or on the 3rd day for that matter). Go figure

Hopefully if Bill stays in charge of our drafts for another 18-19 years maybe close to the end people will figure out that the team does not draft based on need.

They draft for value. They sign FAs for both value and need. It's always been this way. I think Belichick has said more than once that you don't build a good team by passing on better players to draft for need. And every freaking year we hear 'omg why didn't they draft a [thing we need]'.

Maybe 19 years of drafting isn't enough of a sample size for you guys.

reflexblue · Apr 29, 2019

patfanken said:
..... ESPN thinks the Pats had the best draft in the league.

This has GOT to be one of the more baffling drafts in a LONG stretch of baffling drafts over the last 20 years.

1. If there was ONE thing we knew for certain, the Pats NEVER draft a WR in the first...and then we did. Go figure

2. If there was ONE thing we knew going into the draft was we didn't need to draft a CB or RB in the first 2 days....and then we did. Go figure

3. If there was one thing we knew for certain was that we desperately needed to draft a TE in the first 2 days.....and then we DIDN'T (or on the 3rd day for that matter). Go figure

4. We have one of the better C's in the league with 2 more years left on his contract, on the cheap, and yet we picked up TWO more on day 3. Go figure

5. This was one of the better DT drafts in a decade. We needed at least one and we didn't get one. It was one of the better TE drafts in a decade. We needed one and we didn't get one. Go figure

I can "rationalize" all the picks we DID make. "they are for depth". "They are for match ups". "They will be needed in later years" "we are zigging when everyone else is zagging". "We have many more months before the final roster is in"

I get it. I know the drill. I probably know the results, which will be to see the Pats once again playing meaningful games in January. BUT lets not pretend that no one finds the results of this particular draft mind numbing, not only for who we didn't draft, but for who we did.

So while we all chant our favorite proven mantra "In Bill we trust", it will be understandable because for the most part, Bill has EARNED that trust many time over in course of 2 decades running the ship. BUT certainly there are valid reasons to at least QUESTION some of the picks made. Where is the TE? Where is the outside speed? Why ANOTHER RB? Why so many OLmen and so few on the DL? 10 picks and holes still left to fill.

So (getting back to the OP) I'm watching NFL live and they doing an exercise of who won the draft. Spoiler Alert! We did!

The Kraft scandal not withstanding, we have WON. Superbowl #6 is in the books. Brady leads all merchandise sales. Christ, we could have drafted 10 kickers and and prevailing common wisdom would be that the Patriots are smarter than any other organization. Because this IS the prevailing common wisdom.

Other teams can draft elite athletes, and build more talented rosters, but put them up against Tom Brady, BB, and 21 JAG's and the Pats will be favored to win the game. ESPN believes it now. The NFL Network believes it now. And all the fans from the OTHER 31 teams, deep in their souls, believe it now. It no longer is a matter who who plays on this team it is just the way this team is currently PERCEIVED.

And although it's taken over a decade, and haters still exist, and the NFL is still out to get us, we have WON. That battle that began in 2007 and exacerbated in 2014 is OVER. This is now the team that cannot do anything wrong or stupid. Every move we make is brilliant, and every strategic choice is a winner.

I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it. We ALL should

I don't bother sitting in anguish or question BB anymore about why he didn't pick this player or that player or that we have this need or that need, because it doesn't matter he just wins.
I love the tast of BB koolaid in the morning, it tasts like.......victory

Hyped · Apr 29, 2019

That is why I said I was a bit concerned in the "Everybody likes our draft" thread.

I get worried when the national media likes anything that we do.

The good news is that Todd McShay said he believed Brady started to decline during the playoffs last year....thank you, Todd!!!

Soliel · Apr 29, 2019

They got it all mixed up. I know the apocalypse is here simply because cleaveland is winning games and also because lions fans have been praying for fifty years for oblivion

Ivan · Apr 29, 2019

patfanken said:
..... ESPN thinks the Pats had the best draft in the league.

This has GOT to be one of the more baffling drafts in a LONG stretch of baffling drafts over the last 20 years.

1. If there was ONE thing we knew for certain, the Pats NEVER draft a WR in the first...and then we did. Go figure

2. If there was ONE thing we knew going into the draft was we didn't need to draft a CB or RB in the first 2 days....and then we did. Go figure

3. If there was one thing we knew for certain was that we desperately needed to draft a TE in the first 2 days.....and then we DIDN'T (or on the 3rd day for that matter). Go figure

4. We have one of the better C's in the league with 2 more years left on his contract, on the cheap, and yet we picked up TWO more on day 3. Go figure

5. This was one of the better DT drafts in a decade. We needed at least one and we didn't get one. It was one of the better TE drafts in a decade. We needed one and we didn't get one. Go figure

I can "rationalize" all the picks we DID make. "they are for depth". "They are for match ups". "They will be needed in later years" "we are zigging when everyone else is zagging". "We have many more months before the final roster is in"

I get it. I know the drill. I probably know the results, which will be to see the Pats once again playing meaningful games in January. BUT lets not pretend that no one finds the results of this particular draft mind numbing, not only for who we didn't draft, but for who we did.

So while we all chant our favorite proven mantra "In Bill we trust", it will be understandable because for the most part, Bill has EARNED that trust many time over in course of 2 decades running the ship. BUT certainly there are valid reasons to at least QUESTION some of the picks made. Where is the TE? Where is the outside speed? Why ANOTHER RB? Why so many OLmen and so few on the DL? 10 picks and holes still left to fill.

So (getting back to the OP) I'm watching NFL live and they doing an exercise of who won the draft. Spoiler Alert! We did!

The Kraft scandal not withstanding, we have WON. Superbowl #6 is in the books. Brady leads all merchandise sales. Christ, we could have drafted 10 kickers and and prevailing common wisdom would be that the Patriots are smarter than any other organization. Because this IS the prevailing common wisdom.

Other teams can draft elite athletes, and build more talented rosters, but put them up against Tom Brady, BB, and 21 JAG's and the Pats will be favored to win the game. ESPN believes it now. The NFL Network believes it now. And all the fans from the OTHER 31 teams, deep in their souls, believe it now. It no longer is a matter who who plays on this team it is just the way this team is currently PERCEIVED.

And although it's taken over a decade, and haters still exist, and the NFL is still out to get us, we have WON. That battle that began in 2007 and exacerbated in 2014 is OVER. This is now the team that cannot do anything wrong or stupid. Every move we make is brilliant, and every strategic choice is a winner.

I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it. We ALL should

Couldn’t disagree more Ken. Need plays a role because Belichick makes his scouts evaluate player’s in terms of the player they could replace on their roster, so it isn’t ignored. However the only way to build a really competitive team when you are always picking at the end of every round every year is to be really creative in creating value, and to be very disciplined about taking really good prospects over positional need. And since we really don’t know how they feel about the players we don’t see much of our definitions of needs can be very different than theirs are, especially since sub packages now dominate roster building, as opposed to base packages.

As far as this draft goes it is the best I have seen in years.

1) K’Neal Harry WR ASU- Big tough athletic WR who should become their # 1 WR for the foreseeable future.

2 JoeJuan Williams CB Vanderbilt U. A big tough DB who can help over the top, match up with the big WR’s they face weekly, and can be put on the receiving TE’s like Kelce and Ertz.

3a) Chase Winovich Edge Michigan They can’t replace Tre Flowers with one player, so they did it by getting Bennett for the inside and Winovich outside. He’s got the size, athleticism, and motor to be a contributor immediately.

3b) Damien Harris RB Alabama Great pick, I love it. Sony Michel is a talented young back but he gets banged up and misses time. Harris checks off every box for a RB prospect, he could very well end up being their starter.

3c) Yodney Cajuste OT West Virginia Great size (6’5 315) and athleticism. I think he will be starting for them by year 2. Another great pick.

4a) Hjalte Froholdt OG Arkansas He’s a beast. With Thuney looking at a big payday a roadgrading Guard to pair with Mason is a great investment,

4b) Jarrett Stidham QB Auburn. We all talked about how they need to keep investing at QB to find Brady’s eventual replacement. Stidham played in the best conference in college football and most though he would go top 50. Getting him in the 4th was a steal,

5a) Byron Cowart DL Maryland The former #1 college prospect thought he was the sh.t going to Auburn, and performed like sh.t. However he transferred to Maryland, realized his mistakes, and turned it around. Well worth taking a shot on in the 5th round.

5b) Jake Bailey P/K Stanford The most puzzling pick of their draft, but he’s a versatile and athletic special teamer, I think Allen will be traded if Bailey has strong camp.

7) Ken Webster CB Ole Miss Really athletic prospect, that’s what you look for at that point in the draft.

Bottom line, they killed this draft. Could not have done better. Great job by Caserio and Belichick, Ernie Adams, and the rest of their staff. This roster looks really good and it’s only April. Fill a couple of holes and they are good to go.

Steve102 · Apr 29, 2019

patfanken said:
..... ESPN thinks the Pats had the best draft in the league.

This has GOT to be one of the more baffling drafts in a LONG stretch of baffling drafts over the last 20 years.

1. If there was ONE thing we knew for certain, the Pats NEVER draft a WR in the first...and then we did. Go figure

2. If there was ONE thing we knew going into the draft was we didn't need to draft a CB or RB in the first 2 days....and then we did. Go figure

3. If there was one thing we knew for certain was that we desperately needed to draft a TE in the first 2 days.....and then we DIDN'T (or on the 3rd day for that matter). Go figure

4. We have one of the better C's in the league with 2 more years left on his contract, on the cheap, and yet we picked up TWO more on day 3. Go figure

5. This was one of the better DT drafts in a decade. We needed at least one and we didn't get one. It was one of the better TE drafts in a decade. We needed one and we didn't get one. Go figure

I can "rationalize" all the picks we DID make. "they are for depth". "They are for match ups". "They will be needed in later years" "we are zigging when everyone else is zagging". "We have many more months before the final roster is in"

I get it. I know the drill. I probably know the results, which will be to see the Pats once again playing meaningful games in January. BUT lets not pretend that no one finds the results of this particular draft mind numbing, not only for who we didn't draft, but for who we did.

So while we all chant our favorite proven mantra "In Bill we trust", it will be understandable because for the most part, Bill has EARNED that trust many time over in course of 2 decades running the ship. BUT certainly there are valid reasons to at least QUESTION some of the picks made. Where is the TE? Where is the outside speed? Why ANOTHER RB? Why so many OLmen and so few on the DL? 10 picks and holes still left to fill.

So (getting back to the OP) I'm watching NFL live and they doing an exercise of who won the draft. Spoiler Alert! We did!

The Kraft scandal not withstanding, we have WON. Superbowl #6 is in the books. Brady leads all merchandise sales. Christ, we could have drafted 10 kickers and and prevailing common wisdom would be that the Patriots are smarter than any other organization. Because this IS the prevailing common wisdom.

Other teams can draft elite athletes, and build more talented rosters, but put them up against Tom Brady, BB, and 21 JAG's and the Pats will be favored to win the game. ESPN believes it now. The NFL Network believes it now. And all the fans from the OTHER 31 teams, deep in their souls, believe it now. It no longer is a matter who who plays on this team it is just the way this team is currently PERCEIVED.

And although it's taken over a decade, and haters still exist, and the NFL is still out to get us, we have WON. That battle that began in 2007 and exacerbated in 2014 is OVER. This is now the team that cannot do anything wrong or stupid. Every move we make is brilliant, and every strategic choice is a winner.

I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it. We ALL should

I think they are gonna run the chit out of the ball, hense the power RB drafted.

Good post, as always.

Ring 6 · Apr 29, 2019

patfanken said:
..... ESPN thinks the Pats had the best draft in the league.

This has GOT to be one of the more baffling drafts in a LONG stretch of baffling drafts over the last 20 years.

1. If there was ONE thing we knew for certain, the Pats NEVER draft a WR in the first...and then we did. Go figure

2. If there was ONE thing we knew going into the draft was we didn't need to draft a CB or RB in the first 2 days....and then we did. Go figure

3. If there was one thing we knew for certain was that we desperately needed to draft a TE in the first 2 days.....and then we DIDN'T (or on the 3rd day for that matter). Go figure

4. We have one of the better C's in the league with 2 more years left on his contract, on the cheap, and yet we picked up TWO more on day 3. Go figure

5. This was one of the better DT drafts in a decade. We needed at least one and we didn't get one. It was one of the better TE drafts in a decade. We needed one and we didn't get one. Go figure

I can "rationalize" all the picks we DID make. "they are for depth". "They are for match ups". "They will be needed in later years" "we are zigging when everyone else is zagging". "We have many more months before the final roster is in"

I get it. I know the drill. I probably know the results, which will be to see the Pats once again playing meaningful games in January. BUT lets not pretend that no one finds the results of this particular draft mind numbing, not only for who we didn't draft, but for who we did.

So while we all chant our favorite proven mantra "In Bill we trust", it will be understandable because for the most part, Bill has EARNED that trust many time over in course of 2 decades running the ship. BUT certainly there are valid reasons to at least QUESTION some of the picks made. Where is the TE? Where is the outside speed? Why ANOTHER RB? Why so many OLmen and so few on the DL? 10 picks and holes still left to fill.

So (getting back to the OP) I'm watching NFL live and they doing an exercise of who won the draft. Spoiler Alert! We did!

The Kraft scandal not withstanding, we have WON. Superbowl #6 is in the books. Brady leads all merchandise sales. Christ, we could have drafted 10 kickers and and prevailing common wisdom would be that the Patriots are smarter than any other organization. Because this IS the prevailing common wisdom.

Other teams can draft elite athletes, and build more talented rosters, but put them up against Tom Brady, BB, and 21 JAG's and the Pats will be favored to win the game. ESPN believes it now. The NFL Network believes it now. And all the fans from the OTHER 31 teams, deep in their souls, believe it now. It no longer is a matter who who plays on this team it is just the way this team is currently PERCEIVED.

And although it's taken over a decade, and haters still exist, and the NFL is still out to get us, we have WON. That battle that began in 2007 and exacerbated in 2014 is OVER. This is now the team that cannot do anything wrong or stupid. Every move we make is brilliant, and every strategic choice is a winner.

I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it. We ALL should

Why are you saying we drafted centers? We didn’t.

Soliel · Apr 29, 2019

I’m fairly happy with the draft. I’m real glad I do not have to make calls like this

maust · Apr 29, 2019

I saw the thread title and thought maybe Deus humbly admitted an error...shoulda known better

PatriotsReign · Apr 29, 2019

fnordcircle said:
Hopefully if Bill stays in charge of our drafts for another 18-19 years maybe close to the end people will figure out that the team does not draft based on need.

They draft for value. They sign FAs for both value and need. It's always been this way. I think Belichick has said more than once that you don't build a good team by passing on better players to draft for need. And every freaking year we hear 'omg why didn't they draft a [thing we need]'.

Maybe 19 years of drafting isn't enough of a sample size for you guys.

If I could click on both the star and funny, I would on this post.

I hope you value laughing faces more than stars!

Palm Beach Pats Fan · Apr 29, 2019

In what world was this one of the greatest TE draft in a decade? It was a draft that had one incredible TE prospect and one pretty good player who probably can't block much at all. Then there was a bunch of one dimensional backups, WRs who got too big and slow to play WR.

Chevy · Apr 29, 2019

fnordcircle said:
Hopefully if Bill stays in charge of our drafts for another 18-19 years maybe close to the end people will figure out that the team does not draft based on need.

They draft for value. They sign FAs for both value and need. It's always been this way. I think Belichick has said more than once that you don't build a good team by passing on better players to draft for need. And every freaking year we hear 'omg why didn't they draft a [thing we need]'.

Maybe 19 years of drafting isn't enough of a sample size for you guys.

Yup ... adjust the scheme to the players, not the players to the scheme.

Joker · Apr 29, 2019

maust1013 said:
I saw the thread title and thought maybe Deus humbly admitted an error...shoulda known better

yeah?..well YOU only admitted you were wrong ONCE...I've been keeping track just waiting for you to open your big mouth...ONCE!...and I think this admission was just a red herring to throw everyone off...in reality, you think you're always right and even more...YOU WANT TO RULE THE WORLD!
you're not fooling THIS Joker...no sir. I'll be watching YOU...

why you know that the Apocalypse is upon us.....

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