Bruschi's thoughts

[wilfork is beastin']

The Pats need more than a good draft to compete for a championship. We have no legitimate running back; no TE, no pass rush, no corner backs, finesse OL and weak coaching.

The Patriots need another Corey Dillion RB type pick up with several other veteran pick ups to make them a contender. Minus this, they will struggle to win the division and at best get bounced in the first round of the play offs.

Re-watch the play-off game against the Ravens. That was NOT just a bad day for the Pats. That was the Pats being exposed. If we replayed that game week 1 of the up coming season; what have the Pats done to change the result? A big fat nothing...

We need teams to lay down for us so we can get a free pass to the playoffs. Just like the "unstoppable" Jets.

Maybe we should trade Brady for Rex Ryan, after all he brought the "AFC Finalist" banner to Giants Stadium in just his first year as a head coach.

 

[dtwisyPat]

We need teams to lay down for us so we can get a free pass to the playoffs. Just like the "unstoppable" Jets.

Maybe we should trade Brady for Rex Ryan, after all he brought the "AFC Finalist" banner to Giants Stadium in just his first year as a head coach.

How could you attack a loyal Patriots fan like that?

 

[Deus Irae]

The Pats need more than a good draft to compete for a championship. We have no legitimate running back; no TE, no pass rush, no corner backs, finesse OL and weak coaching.

The Patriots need another Corey Dillion RB type pick up with several other veteran pick ups to make them a contender. Minus this, they will struggle to win the division and at best get bounced in the first round of the play offs.

Re-watch the play-off game against the Ravens. That was NOT just a bad day for the Pats. That was the Pats being exposed. If we replayed that game week 1 of the up coming season; what have the Pats done to change the result? A big fat nothing...

1.) The Patriots have 4 legitimate running backs

2.) "Finesse OL" has won multiple championships

3.) Bodden may not be a great CB, but he's still a legit CB

4.) The coaching is fine


You're probably right about the TE, though, if that makes you feel better.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

We also should have won a few more games.

Losing to a hot Ravens team is hardly the end of the world. Every team gets out-coached and out-played. Christ, the eventual World Champions suffered a humiliating loss on their on patch against the 3-13 Buccaneers.

Our resident douchbags seem to forget that we lost Welker week 17. Week 16 was 60 minutes of dominating football over Jacksonville.

We can overcome not having Welker. It can't be done in 7 days going into the playoffs. Besides:

Going from ACL year one to year two is more marginal improvement for the Pats than the Jets/phins move combined. If we had 2007 Brady, that team goes 14-2 to 16-0.

We have the young guys. Merriweather/Mayo/Guyton/Butler/Chung/Pryor...ect..... Our d bags tend to forget the late 1990's and our core player development.

This draft is the deepest talent wise since 1983. High second round picks are the sweet spot and most likely mean mid to lower 1st round talent in most other years. That doesn't include the 2011 extra pick.

 

[signbabybrady]

The Pats need more than a good draft to compete for a championship. We have no legitimate running back; no TE, no pass rush, no corner backs, finesse OL and weak coaching.

The Patriots need another Corey Dillion RB type pick up with several other veteran pick ups to make them a contender. Minus this, they will struggle to win the division and at best get bounced in the first round of the play offs.

Re-watch the play-off game against the Ravens. That was NOT just a bad day for the Pats. That was the Pats being exposed. If we replayed that game week 1 of the up coming season; what have the Pats done to change the result? A big fat nothing...

Do you realize that we beat that team once last year, right? We certainly played our worst game in the playoffs with BB as the coach but it was one game.

The Patriots can and will compete for a SB this year regardless of what comes out of the draft. They may not be favorites to win it all like in years past but they can and will compete for a title. I would say maybe only two or three teams should be considered for better odds to win it all.

 

[italia44]

Someone get this man a drink for speaking the truth...........

yea...........of Hemlock:bricks:

 

[Joker]

that Rat fan is so stupid he's probably immune to hemlock.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

1.) The Patriots have 4 legitimate running backs

2.) "Finesse OL" has won multiple championships

3.) Bodden may not be a great CB, but he's still a legit CB

4.) The coaching is fine


You're probably right about the TE, though, if that makes you feel better.

1.) Two of their RB's get injured way too much. And can we really rely on Maroney?
2.) Sure, but they need to get stronger up front.
3. Their CB's aren't the greatest but there a lot better than '08. No disagreement here.
4. The coaching is pretty bad right now (especially game management). BB was out coached plenty this season.

 

[Deus Irae]

1.) Two of their RB's get injured way too much. And can we really rely on Maroney?

Only New England fans are fool enough to expect that running backs won't get hurt. Everyone else knows better.

2.) Sure, but they need to get stronger up front.

No, they don't. They need to stop having such a focus on the passing game that they lose the nasty streak they've had in the past.

4. The coaching is pretty bad right now (especially game management). BB was out coached plenty this season.

The coaching is fine. Belichick had an off year, and he'll bounce back. The coordinators, especially the O.C., did a better job than people here give them credit for.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Only New England fans are fool enough to expect that running backs won't get hurt. Everyone else knows better.



No, they don't. They need to stop having such a focus on the passing game that they lose the nasty streak they've had in the past.



The coaching is fine. Belichick had an off year, and he'll bounce back. The coordinators, especially the O.C., did a better job than people here give them credit for.

1. The Pats could get younger and better at RB. Going into last season, I though their ground game was going to be one of the NFL's best. I learned my lesson.
2. Koppen is terrible at run blocking and tired of seeing him get bull rushed right into RB's lanes.
3. The offensive game plans were one of the worst I've ever seen. Who knew I'd hate the offense in '09 more than their defense?

 

[Kontradiction]

The coordinators, especially the O.C., did a better job than people here give them credit for.

I can't really agree with this. I can't honestly say that I enjoyed watching the Kevin Faulk draw play get called 30 times a game. I will say, though, that the personnel that we had in there on offense might have negatively impacted the playcalling (and you know how I feel about the offensive personnel this past season), but BOB certainly could have done a much better job. I have faith he'll improve this season, though. McDaniels did.

 

[Deus Irae]

1. The Pats could get younger and better at RB. Going into last season, I though their ground game was going to be one of the NFL's best. I learned my lesson.

The Patriots COULD get younger and better at every position. That's irrelevant. People have been *****ing about the running game for years. Meanwhile, that maligned running game has been better than average, year after year.

2. Koppen is terrible at run blocking and tired of seeing him get bull rushed right into RB's lanes.

Koppen is undersized, and he struggles against elite opponents. That's true of pretty much every center in the NFL. When the line is together and Neal is healthy, the line is still among the best in the NFL. The problem has been Neal's inability to stay on the field.

3. The offensive game plans were one of the worst I've ever seen. Who knew I'd hate the offense in '09 more than their defense?

The offensive game plans were fine, given the limitations of the personnel. It's not the fault of the O.C. if the backup guard sucks. It's not the fault of the O.C. if Sam Aiken is the WR3. It's not the fault of the O.C. if Brady is maddeningly inconsistent and skittish in the pocket.

 

[Deus Irae]

3. The offensive game plans were one of the worst I've ever seen. Who knew I'd hate the offense in '09 more than their defense?

You draw up spectacular game plans in his stead. Here are the rules:

WR1 will have a bad back for much of the season, and he will put out an unacceptable level of effort for 1-2 games throughout the course of the season

WR2 will miss time during the regular season, and he will blow out his knee just before the playoffs

WR3 will be benched after game 2, and later cut, leaving Sam Aiken as WR3

WR4 will break his arm and miss a bunch of games. He'll also be little better than Aiken when playing the WR3 spot, meaning he's really only useful as a backup and injury for WR2

TE2 will be too slow to gain separation in the open field, and will be useful only in goal line situations where physicality can get him a fraction of a second of time being open

TE1 will be needed to help the young rookie tackle blocking at the line, who'll be subbing in for an injured left tackle and then an injured right tackle. This will, naturally, limit TE1's effectiveness as a receiver

RB1 will be a young guy still feeling his way around the game

RB2 will be lost for the year at about the 1/4 mark

RB3 will be lost for a spell as well

RB4 will be an excellent 3rd down back, but unable to handle the rigors of a traditional RB.

You can't count on lots of time for your QB to throw, because your RG will miss several games, and his replacement will be completely ineffective

You'll be replacing the best young O.C. in the game, and you've got to do it while dealing with a QB who's almost completely immobile following ACL surgery, and who's mentally not anywhere near 100%.



Good luck!

 

[Frezo]

You draw up spectacular game plans in his stead. Here are the rules:

WR1 will have a bad back for much of the season, and he will put out an unacceptable level of effort for 1-2 games throughout the course of the season

WR2 will miss time during the regular season, and he will blow out his knee just before the playoffs
<snip>
You'll be replacing the best young O.C. in the game, and you've got to do it while dealing with a QB who's almost completely immobile following ACL surgery, and who's mentally not anywhere near 100%.

Good luck!

...and that's the good news.