Bedard : Its superbowl or bust for BB after Collins trade

[NashuaPats]

The mantra in recent years is do your job. In 2001, no one expected them to be any good and when they proved to be the best, all the media tried to understand why. The consensus was that it was because every player bought into the system, did what they were told to do, no egos, and gave 100% on every single play. It only takes one freelancing player looking for a big contract to destroy that.

I had no idea that Collins was that type of player, but obviously Belichick did and felt he was a difference between winning and losing despite some of his impressive individual play. How can Bill not have our trust? I'm shocked, but I bet this is the best move for the team. And Bedard is a jackass. Super Bowl or bust is dumb as hell. There are too many variables involving luck in a playoff involving 12 teams. Bedard deserves to have yesterday's flying object shoved up his...

 

[Gronkowski123]

hightower has to stay healthy now. imagine if he went down??

that means more shea, and he STINKS!

 

[Clonamery]

With this column, Betard better win the Pulitzer.

 

[long distance]

Pulitzer or bust?

 

[Bradyking12]

The mantra in is recent years is do your job. In 2001, no one expected them to be any good and when they proved to be the best, all the media tried to understand why. The consensus was that it was because every player bought into the system, did what they were told to do, no egos, and gave 100% on every single play. It only takes one freelancing player looking for a big contract to destroy that. I had no idea that Collins was that type of player, but obviously Belichick did and felt he was a difference between winning and losing despite some of his impressive individual play. How can Bill not have our trust? I'm shocked, but I bet this is the best move for the team. And Bedard is a jackass. Super Bowl or bust is dumb as hell. There are too many variables involving luck in a playoff involving 12 teams. Bedard deserves to have yesterday's flying object shoved up his...

Yea still sucks especially for me, Jamie Collins was my favorite player on our defense, im not fully over it tho I will say that im still upset but I mean sh*t we offered him 11M/yr, thats a good deal, we dont pay players like that often but whatever

 

[Jackson 2]

I cannot stand Bedard.

Ok. Let BB give $15m / yr to a player wacked out on drugs and always disappears during the middle of the season.

Additionally, let's keep a player who they team has lost confidence in executing the defensive game plan and wants to be the highest paid defensive player in the NFL.

Idiot.

I've had more than enough of Bedard. Spending time each week with Squeaky and the Douche is like weekly exposure to asbestos. If the Patriots do go on to win the SB, we'll never hear from Bedard again about trading Collins. Screw the fat bastard...

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

((to be fair I didn't read the article -- I'm taking the thread title on faith that the writer meant exactly what the title suggests))
I'd write this off as another idiotic comment from the retched sports main stream media, however, even that bottom of the barrel expectation is giving him too much credit.
The Patriots are such perennial winners that they already have 99% expectations of SB or bust. How can someone who is a "professional" media person that makes his living off of following/writing about the Patriots not know/disregard this? You're telling me actually believes that having or not having Jamie Collins changes the SB expectations for the Patriots?? Wow....

 

[goheels22002]

Dear Greg,

The Patriots have the best record in the NFL and a 3 game lead on the next best team in the division. In Bill We Trust.

Thanks for providing more fuel to keep the revenge fires burning during the bye week.

With Warmest Wishes,

The Droids

 

[Tony2046]

Health is the main factor in last years debacle and at least one SB loss.

But Chunky munch is going to get his clicks.

 

[bormio]

If a rugby kick that gave Philly the ball at their own 41 in the 2nd quarter of a week 13 game was the reason we didn't go to the SB, we sure weren't a very tough team.

 

[neuronet]

I want an "'In bill we trust' droid" t shirt...

 

[fair catch fryar]

I agree with him. Pats need to win Super Bowl this year.

I feel this way every year. Trading Collins doesn't change that.

I dislike this trade as much the next guy, but seriously....what the phuck do I know? Everyone who wants to pounce on BB at the first chance, will squeal about, "In Bill We Trust". Newsflash for those people...give me one name of someone else who could coach, GM and maintain the level of excellence he has and btw still has the GOAT and currently the best record in the NFL. If they lose the next 5 in a row because of their inability to rush the QB, then I'll concede. Until then, it's the same old schtick and "In Bill I Trust" to make me happy on Sunday's between September and February.

 

[Deus Irae]

If a rugby kick that gave Philly the ball at their own 41 in the 2nd quarter of a week 13 game was the reason we didn't go to the SB, we sure weren't a very tough team.

Tough isn't really the issue. Lost home field is. Bedard's a hit-and-miss reporter, and putting the defensive moves in the same basket as bonehead coaching/playcalling from a season before is impressively stupid, but the line he's trying to draw is pretty easy to see.

It's just not a legit connection to make. Everyone makes mistakes. Even (most of) the most ridiculous homers here acknowledge that BB makes his share. It's also irrelevant to the personnel moves of mid-season 2016, so going back to 2015 on-field decision making in a discussion about shipping Collins out is a bridge way the hell too far.

 

[deroc5050]

The obvious over all look is that it is a bad move for the Patriots. You just basically gave your most talented defensive player away... Thats the bottom line. If they were going to reduce his role on the team.. I can see where there might be a problem.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Is it Opposite Day? The team trading away a star player for a better future outlook is the one that's going all-in? Makes zero sense.

 

[p8ryts]

Superbowl is really hard to get to and win. Lots of factors play into it. Could Collins be the difference? Possibly, but who the he'll knows.

Belichick is the best coach in the league.

He certainly wasn't the difference last year in Denver. Oh wait, he was the difference, he gave up the only 2 td's Denver got

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

If a rugby kick that gave Philly the ball at their own 41 in the 2nd quarter of a week 13 game was the reason we didn't go to the SB, we sure weren't a very tough team.

Well to some degree, it was the cumulative effect of bad coaching decisions that cost us homefield advantage. And I know that might seem pathetic to you, but when you consider that football is a game of inches (with a small margin of error) those kinds of in-game decisions can end up having adverse consequences for even the best teams.

Here's where Belichick shares some of the blame for the 2015 season:

1) Allowing Chris Harper, a rookie formerly on the practice squad, to return punts in a crucial road game vs. the Broncos, where he ended up muffing a punt that turned the tide of the game in Denver's favor

2) Having Ebner make a mortar kick against Philly, that gave the Eagles excellent field position to score a TD drive

3) Winning the coin toss in overtime vs. the Jets on the road, but electing for a kickoff that kept the ball out of Brady's hands.

4) The highly suspect and deservedly maligned game-plan vs. the Dolphins in Week 17 (ugh!!!!!!)

Now before you try defending these decisions, I understand the rationale for all of them, and sympathize with Bill and the coaches for having to manage a roster riddled with injuries. He's the greatest NFL coach of all time (arguably second to Paul Brown)

......Of course, had Belichick elected to just kick a FG rather than go for it on 4th down in the AFC title game, would we even need to talk about losing HFA?

 

[captain insano]

Bedard? who gives a ****?

 

[BradyFTW!]

Unless you believe they were something close to a lock with Collins, it's kinda foolish to make this argument. But this is Bedard, so...

 

[BradyFTW!]

I feel this way every year. Trading Collins doesn't change that.

I dislike this trade as much the next guy, but seriously....what the phuck do I know? Everyone who wants to pounce on BB at the first chance, will squeal about, "In Bill We Trust". Newsflash for those people...give me one name of someone else who could coach, GM and maintain the level of excellence he has and btw still has the GOAT and currently the best record in the NFL. If they lose the next 5 in a row because of their inability to rush the QB, then I'll concede. Until then, it's the same old schtick and "In Bill I Trust" to make me happy on Sunday's between September and February.

Pretty much - I don't like the trade on the surface because based purely on Collins' talent vs. the return it's virtually impossible to defend. So I pretty much have to assume that either Belichick made a huge unforced error or there's more going on that I don't know. I realize that the former is a possibility, but based on the total body of work over the past 15 years I'm going with the latter until I have reason to believe otherwise. I'm fine with assuming there was more to it, and that Belichick made this move because he thought he could make the team better this year by making it.

In short, IBIT.