This has been a lost year of sorts, and while Brady has to take some of the blame, he is not the whole problem, and I am not ready to give up on him. I want him re-signed and I want the Pats to put some decent talent around him. If he's bad then, then let him go. Consider:
Gronk retires and they don't replace him, even with a decent tight end. There is literally no one at this position on our team.
Devlin gets hurt and they don't replace him until week 16, with a defensive player who it turns out can play the position, so what took so long? When he's in there, surprise! The running game works better.
Jules is their No. 1 receiver but he's been banged up and can barely play for weeks. He has to keep playing though, because:
They took chances on AB and it didn't work out (it seems they made a mistake in signing him [where was the due diligence?] and then in giving up on him too fast [maybe he would have gotten a 4 or 6 game suspension and been back for the playoffs, or even been able to drag the case into next year]). It didn't work out, and it's been a distraction for the entire year.
They took (multi-year) chances on Josh Gordon and it didn't work out. Stop taking on these projects please.
They've taken multi-year chances on Philip Dorset but he's too small and gets overpowered, pummeled and injured by DBs all the time.
They traded for Muhammed Sanu and it didn't work out (at least so far).
They drafted a rookie WR in the first round and he got hurt in training camp and couldn't even play until more than half way through the season. He has flashes of "great" but obviously needs more time with Brady for them to get in synch.
Sony Michel, our #1 back needs a FB in front of him to be able to run well, but he didn't get one until week 16.
The line has been banged up and atrocious at times this year.
The Pick 6 was bad yesterday, but Stephon Gilmore getting repeatedly torched was worse. The O overcame that mistake and got us ahead in the 4th quarter. The Boogeymen needed one stop and couldn't get it.
I want Tom back next year, hopefully to go out on a high note. Flame away.