Belichick doesn't understand psychological warfare

[sieglo]

Belichick doesn't understand psychological warfare, and what's more, he is often victimized by it.

Some times, you need to get your team fired up. Sometimes you need to respond to the smack talking. Sometimes you need to show some pride, especially when you're playing at home.

Benching Welker before the game was a major psychological mistake, especially after all the Jets' yapping this week.

Belichick ought to go back and run the game tape on how the team played the week after the whole Spygate thing happened. They DESTROYED the Jets. Sometimes, you need to get your team fired up. The Jets were yesterday. The Patriots weren't. That's two years in a row, BTW.

In addition, you have now a pretty clear track record of meltdowns in big games over the last few years. For Brady and Belichick both. Those guys need to talk to a sports psychologist or something so that they stop turtling every time something goes wrong in a big game. Someone in another thread had it straight. There's an element of shell shock there that needs to be addressed.

Incidentally, the Pats media response to Spygate was also horribly mismanaged from a PR/psychological perspective. It's a massively recurring theme.

Hopefully they do something about it in the off season.

 

[patsfan-1982]

BB dose not play on sundays this team never had the talent to win a SB they won 14 games cause Brady, was playing out of he's mind if Brady dose not put up 30 points a game they cant win.... this defense feeds off of other teams mistakes and when teams dont make any they are a plan bad defense

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

lol... Arguably the best NFL coach of all-time does not understand psychological warfare. Of all the overreaction comments, this ranks near the top.

I've said this ALL SEASON. The Patriots have dominated opponents because they've marched down the field early on in games, forcing defenses and offenses alike to lose confidence, get confused, and scrap their gameplans. When that does not happen, this team is not going to dominate anymore. It had nothing to do with motivation.

 

[Bertil]

...the fact that the Jets trash talked wildly all week and it resulted in Welker getting briefly benched for an innocuous and highly entertaining retort made BB the loser in this aspect of warfare. Perhaps he should re-read Sun Tzu's masterwork again!

 

[Rob0729]

Wow! What a crock!

First, if you want smack talk, the Pats do plenty of it. They might not do it in the media, but they do it a lot on the field.

Second, there isn't many coaches who understand psychological warfare. Funny, when he wins we hear stories of him bringing in Bill Russell to talk to the players on how to repeat as champions right before the 2004 season Super Bowl or how he used the fact Steelers booked their family's flights and hotel to New Orleans to show how disrespected they are.

This thread was made for the practice squad.

 

[letekro]

You're right. I'm sure Crumpler would've caught the TD, Chung would've handled the punt snap, and Brady wouldn't have lobbed it right to David Harris if they had talked more trash this week.

 

[upstater1]

I think if we all use our psychic powers on Sundays, we can help them. but we're not channeling our energies together, folks. The Jets fans, especially Fireman Ed (what, you think there isn't a psychic device in that hat?), are more focused on channeling their telekinetic powers.

 

[Fogbuster]

Wow! What a crock!

First, if you want smack talk, the Pats do plenty of it. They might not do it in the media, but they do it a lot on the field.

Second, there isn't many coaches who understand psychological warfare. Funny, when he wins we hear stories of him bringing in Bill Russell to talk to the players on how to repeat as champions right before the 2004 season Super Bowl or how he used the fact Steelers booked their family's flights and hotel to New Orleans to show how disrespected they are.

This thread was made for the practice squad.

I disagree. When a coach or lead player goes public -- to the national media -- and basically slaps you in the face with a challenge, you need to respond with force. Ryan called BB out on Sunday/Monday last week, and BB's response was to try and make a joke out of it. Didn't work. Didn't impress the Jets, and even more importantly, it didn't impress his own players.

By Ryan calling out Belichick, and Belichick's non-response, Ryan immediately got into the heads of the Patriots players. They began to secretly wonder if BB was *really* the guru and master -OR- if maybe Rex Ryan had replaced the Hooded One as the new grand master. That's the nature of a public challenge. You either answer it with force, or you lose face. It's not something that can be laughed away with one liners. BB got owned by Ryan a week ago, and it all played out that way yesterday. Super bummer.

BB was all business and NO smiles during those early years when he was winning, but now that he's gotten a few Lombardis, he seems to have gone soft. Maybe time to retire. He's got lots of dough, he doesn't need to just take up space by living off his past laurels, doing well in the regular season then choking in the play-offs. If he's going to let other coaches call him out, he's not going to win any more championships. Time to call it a career and go off into the sunset. There are hungry, smart, and tough coaches who are waiting in the wings.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

While I do disagree with the Welker benching, I still think you're off base here. You do not win 3 super bowls without understanding psychological warfare.

 

[sevengables_2207]

I disagree. When a coach or lead player goes public -- to the national media -- and basically slaps you in the face with a challenge, you need to respond with force. Ryan called BB out on Sunday/Monday last week, and BB's response was to try and make a joke out of it. Didn't work. Didn't impress the Jets, and even more importantly, it didn't impress his own players.

By Ryan calling out Belichick, and Belichick's non-response, Ryan immediately got into the heads of the Patriots players. They began to secretly wonder if BB was *really* the guru and master -OR- if maybe Rex Ryan had replaced the Hooded One as the new grand master. That's the nature of a public challenge. You either answer it with force, or you lose face. It's not something that can be laughed away with one liners. BB got owned by Ryan a week ago, and it all played out that way yesterday. Super bummer.

BB was all business and NO smiles during those early years when he was winning, but now that he's gotten a few Lombardis, he seems to have gone soft. Maybe time to retire. He's got lots of dough, he doesn't need to just take up space by living off his past laurels, doing well in the regular season then choking in the play-offs. If he's going to let other coaches call him out, he's not going to win any more championships. Time to call it a career and go off into the sunset. There are hungry, smart, and tough coaches who are waiting in the wings.

Talk about your knee-jerk reactions. Was this not the same bluster the Jets manifested before the December 6th Monday night game? And the Patriots responded the way you are criticizing them here and wiped the field with them. Why? Because they played better on the field, unlike yesterday, not because they did not get into a WWF war of words.

 

[Rob0729]

I disagree. When a coach or lead player goes public -- to the national media -- and basically slaps you in the face with a challenge, you need to respond with force. Ryan called BB out on Sunday/Monday last week, and BB's response was to try and make a joke out of it. Didn't work. Didn't impress the Jets, and even more importantly, it didn't impress his own players.

By Ryan calling out Belichick, and Belichick's non-response, Ryan immediately got into the heads of the Patriots players. They began to secretly wonder if BB was *really* the guru and master -OR- if maybe Rex Ryan had replaced the Hooded One as the new grand master. That's the nature of a public challenge. You either answer it with force, or you lose face. It's not something that can be laughed away with one liners. BB got owned by Ryan a week ago, and it all played out that way yesterday. Super bummer.

BB was all business and NO smiles during those early years when he was winning, but now that he's gotten a few Lombardis, he seems to have gone soft. Maybe time to retire. He's got lots of dough, he doesn't need to just take up space by living off his past laurels, doing well in the regular season then choking in the play-offs. If he's going to let other coaches call him out, he's not going to win any more championships. Time to call it a career and go off into the sunset. There are hungry, smart, and tough coaches who are waiting in the wings.

LOL! Yes, the game has past Belichick by. Oh, I have so missed this total BS Chicken Little argument from the preseason. Of course Belichick has lost his touch, this team would have gone 27-0 in the regular season if he hasn't gone soft (yes, they would have added 9 games to schedule to because Belichick is that tough).

Sorry, this is the biggest crock of BS yet. You don't change the team's make up just because of who they are facing. This team does their talking on the field, not the week before the game. You don't change that.

 

[BigEZPatsFan76]

This team does their talking on the field, not the week before the game. You don't change that.

Really? I must have missed something, because from what I saw yesterday, they sure as hell did not do a lot of "talking on the field".



EZ76

 

[Rob0729]

Really? I must have missed something, because from what I saw yesterday, they sure as hell did not do a lot of "talking on the field".



EZ76

They didn't yesterday, but that is where they usually do it.

Ok, I give. Belichick should have let the players respond in the press against the Jets. When they got their arses kicked yesterday, then people could complain Belichick lost control of the team and should have just told his players to shut up and play.

 

[MassPats38]

Seriously? Ask Rex Ryan's dad how well "psychological warfare" works on the field as a head coach. For that matter, ask the Ravens how 'WWIII' worked for them this weekend.

The team that executes consistently on the field in this league wins. All the bravado in the world prior to the game means nothing. And Ali was entertaining and original in boxing when he did it - the Jets just sounded like clowns. In the end, talk is cheap and actions on the field are everything.

 

[folamzz]

I agree with the OP. You have to let men be men. You cannot suppress the beast in a man, especially in an emotional sports like football. Those guys were seething all week wanting to respond to the jets. Welker found an interesting way to do it, and gets punished.
The players did not know about the benching until the game was about to start. Belichick ambushed is own team. The benching showed that the team would micromanaged every aspect of the team even limiting the creativity of its players.

The last few years have shown that the belichick way is not the only way to win football games.

 

[aabtec]

I disagree. When a coach or lead player goes public -- to the national media -- and basically slaps you in the face with a challenge, you need to respond with force. Ryan called BB out on Sunday/Monday last week, and BB's response was to try and make a joke out of it. Didn't work. Didn't impress the Jets, and even more importantly, it didn't impress his own players.

By Ryan calling out Belichick, and Belichick's non-response, Ryan immediately got into the heads of the Patriots players. They began to secretly wonder if BB was *really* the guru and master -OR- if maybe Rex Ryan had replaced the Hooded One as the new grand master. That's the nature of a public challenge. You either answer it with force, or you lose face. It's not something that can be laughed away with one liners. BB got owned by Ryan a week ago, and it all played out that way yesterday. Super bummer.

BB was all business and NO smiles during those early years when he was winning, but now that he's gotten a few Lombardis, he seems to have gone soft. Maybe time to retire. He's got lots of dough, he doesn't need to just take up space by living off his past laurels, doing well in the regular season then choking in the play-offs. If he's going to let other coaches call him out, he's not going to win any more championships. Time to call it a career and go off into the sunset. There are hungry, smart, and tough coaches who are waiting in the wings.

Its time for the Pats to get mkentally tough. The Pats got rid of the loud mouth players last year. Its time to clean out the coaching staff. The offense needs an enema. The D needs to go to a 4-3 defense with some talent to get after the QB.

 

[folamzz]

They didn't yesterday, but that is where they usually do it.

Ok, I give. Belichick should have let the players respond in the press against the Jets. When they got their arses kicked yesterday, then people could complain Belichick lost control of the team and should have just told his players to shut up and play.

No, Belichick shouldn't have benched one of his players for finding a creative way to respond to the jets. What BB did was idiotic. You don't preach 60 mins, then bench one of your best players to start the most important game of the season. You also don't announce the benching mins before the game starts, taking your team by surprise.

I would like to know when brady found out about the benching. That may explain his flat emotional state in warm-ups.

 

[Deus Irae]

They didn't yesterday, but that is where they usually do it.

Ok, I give. Belichick should have let the players respond in the press against the Jets. When they got their arses kicked yesterday, then people could complain Belichick lost control of the team and should have just told his players to shut up and play.

Everyone knew what Ryan was trying to do in the media. Hell, the media was openly discussing it, day after day. Belichick could have ended all that crap with one 2 minute press conference and a few follow up reminders. Instead, he let it go on all week and then benched his player for a mild response to it.

Belichick screwed up royally. Pretending otherwise is just ignoring reality.

 

[MainePatsFan26]

Belichick doesn't understand psychological warfare, and what's more, he is often victimized by it.

Some times, you need to get your team fired up. Sometimes you need to respond to the smack talking. Sometimes you need to show some pride, especially when you're playing at home.

Benching Welker before the game was a major psychological mistake, especially after all the Jets' yapping this week.

Belichick ought to go back and run the game tape on how the team played the week after the whole Spygate thing happened. They DESTROYED the Jets. Sometimes, you need to get your team fired up. The Jets were yesterday. The Patriots weren't. That's two years in a row, BTW.

In addition, you have now a pretty clear track record of meltdowns in big games over the last few years. For Brady and Belichick both. Those guys need to talk to a sports psychologist or something so that they stop turtling every time something goes wrong in a big game. Someone in another thread had it straight. There's an element of shell shock there that needs to be addressed.

Incidentally, the Pats media response to Spygate was also horribly mismanaged from a PR/psychological perspective. It's a massively recurring theme.

Hopefully they do something about it in the off season.

I completely disagree. First of all, do you really think Welker went out of his way to undercut BB? Welker has been pure Patriot all this time. Now all of a sudden he mouths off? It is possible, but I think maybe BB had a little to do with this. Benching him was sending the Jets a message: we have dignity and a code you do not. You are undisciplined and that is why you will lose. So I believe deep down BB might have instructed Welker, or at least told him to come up with something. Now, if the Patriots EXECUTED their game plan effectively, we would all send congrats to BB for doing things the Patriot way. But we lost, and thus the Patriot way is losing games for us. We can't have it both ways, and considering the lack of talent at many positions, this season was a huge success. Let's not get carried away blaming BB, when without him, I would have pegged us at 5-11 considering the lack of talent on this roster and the rash of injuries.

 

[Rob0729]

Everyone knew what Ryan was trying to do in the media. Hell, the media was openly discussing it, day after day. Belichick could have ended all that crap with one 2 minute press conference and a few follow up reminders. Instead, he let it go on all week and then benched his player for a mild response to it.

Belichick screwed up royally. Pretending otherwise is just ignoring reality.

Belichick screwed up a lot in that game yesterday. But this "he didn't let his players have swagger" BS is just stupid.

Sorry, I felt Belichick handled the week before the game right and the attitude for the game right.

Fact of the matter is the first quarter, the Pats had the psychological advantage. They drove down the field with ease and without a stupid pass by Brady and a dropped TD by Crumpler, this game could have been a blow out the other direction. The psychological advantage changed after the Crumpler dropped TD and the Jets realized that on two drives the defense turned over the ball and held the Pats to 3 points. It was after the psychological advantage shifted towards the Pats where Belichick failed. But that has nothing to do with the crap leading up to the week.

I disagreed with the benching of Welker in a game like this. That was a poor decision, but had no effect on the game. Otherwise, I have no problem with what Belichick did all week. He told his players to ignore the BS and do their preparation and that is what he should have.