Do you still have confidence in this team?

[PATSNUTme]

FieldTurf - yes
Vinnie T - no

How's Vinnie going to help? By showing TB how to stand even more like a statue? If the unthinkable happens, then I call Doug Flutie. He knows the playbook now, I'm sure he's still in shape, and he would breathe life into the offense, and into the Razor. Flutie at ABC saved the pats a roster spot, and they wasted it on Vinnie.

Is Bart Starr still available?

 

[PatsDeb]

FieldTurf - yes
Vinnie T - no

How's Vinnie going to help? By showing TB how to stand even more like a statue? If the unthinkable happens, then I call Doug Flutie. He knows the playbook now, I'm sure he's still in shape, and he would breathe life into the offense, and into the Razor. Flutie at ABC saved the pats a roster spot, and they wasted it on Vinnie.

I think it's pretty clear that Flutie had the roster spot if he wanted it, way back in the spring. He chose to retire and do something else. Vinnie can help by coaching Brady during the games when he gets a little lost out there. A voice of experience telling him what he sees; what he can try differently. Flutie did the same last year. Since Flutie wasn't available (by choice IMO) BB went with whom he thought would be the next best (available) guy for that role, Testaverde.

 

[captain stone]

Is Bart Starr still available?

How about the original Captain Comeback, Roger Staubach?

 

[captain stone]

I think it's pretty clear that Flutie had the roster spot if he wanted it, way back in the spring. He chose to retire and do something else. Vinnie can help by coaching Brady during the games when he gets a little lost out there. A voice of experience telling him what he sees; what he can try differently. Flutie did the same last year. Since Flutie wasn't available (by choice IMO) BB went with whom he thought would be the next best (available) guy for that role, Testaverde.

The man who should be coaching TB during the games, and who should be the voice of experience, should be the OC. But McD is barely older than TB, and has no OC experience anywhere. He brings nothing to the party. Someone else, from outside the organization, should have been hired instead.

My point with Flutie is that he didn't have to be on the active roster. He lives nearby, he knows the playbook, and he's in great shape. If TB goes down, Cassell becomes the starter anyway. Flutie can then be signed as the backup. There is no need to carry 3 QBs, unless TB has a "tired arm"?

 

[PatsDeb]

The man who should be coaching TB during the games, and who should be the voice of experience, should be the OC. But McD is barely older than TB, and has no OC experience anywhere. He brings nothing to the party. Someone else, from outside the organization, should have been hired instead.

My point with Flutie is that he didn't have to be on the active roster. He lives nearby, he knows the playbook, and he's in great shape. If TB goes down, Cassell becomes the starter anyway. Flutie can then be signed as the backup. There is no need to carry 3 QBs, unless TB has a "tired arm"?

I agree with your points. They thought they could get away with McDaniels and they were wrong. I really think they did try to get Flutie back, but he wanted to do TV, not sit in Natick waiting to see if the Pats needed him. At this late hour Vinny T. must represent the least terrible alternative. I hope it works.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Boy, it looks like BB really blew it promoting McDaniels to OC.

And now I guess he's just being stubbon and turning a deaf ear to the play calling during the games. The same things were said about Mangini this time last year, so it looks like McDaniels will be offered a HC job at the end of the season.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

I really can't answer this question without knowing the identity of this year's team. I expect us to go into the playoffs with a great record, like 12-4 or better. But that is due to the schedule. If we don't improve a lot of things dramatically, we will be one and done in the playoffs.

I can guess that we will improve based on prior seasons with Brady/Belichick, but after this Jets game, I need to see it to believe it. As a fan, I hope blindly that we will win another superbowl, but I am not ready to put any money on the possibility.

This year's team has no offensive identity and no defensive identity that I can put a finger on. I would really like to see a power running game develop, and actually be used in obvious running situations by the coaches. I'd like to see our third down defense get off the field once in a while. Bend but don't break is okay when we are producing turn overs and big plays on defense, but not when it means letting other teams beat us in low scoring games.

I still don't have a clue what this team will look like headed into the playoffs. I feel like Belichick needs to do some tremendous coaching in the near future to turn things around for us. What we are doing now simply doesn't cut it against good teams.

 

[captain stone]

Boy, it looks like BB really blew it promoting McDaniels to OC.

And now I guess he's just being stubbon and turning a deaf ear to the play calling during the games. The same things were said about Mangini this time last year, so it looks like McDaniels will be offered a HC job at the end of the season.

Only by fools like the Raiders and Cardinals.

At least EM had a modicum of coaching experience, albeit mainly as a position coach. Skippy is 5-6 years younger, but he aint no John Gruden.

P.S.: If Gruden ever gets sacked in TB, the pats should hire him as OC, and Assistant HC, in a nanosecond. Whisper to him that he would be HC when BB decides to stay upstairs. Dream On, I know.

 

[Pat_Nasty]

Vinnie Testaverde was brought in to be our #3 QB, like most teams have. Belichick has been adamant about not reading anything into it about the health or level of confidence in either of the two guys ahead of him on the depth chart.

The team had Testaverde in a few weeks ago. He's probably spent the interceding time learning our playbook. They brought him in a few days after a game in which our QB took a few hard hits, underscoring the utility of having emergency QB on your team.

There is absolutely no reason to think that any sort of mentoring or coaching faculty was a significant motivating factor. If the Pats wanted someone to work in a coaching capacity, they would have hired a coach, and not used a roster spot.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Vinnie Testaverde was brought in to be our #3 QB, like most teams have. Belichick has been adamant about not reading anything into it about the health or level of confidence in either of the two guys ahead of him on the depth chart.

The team had Testaverde in a few weeks ago. He's probably spent the interceding time learning our playbook. They brought him in a few days after a game in which our QB took a few hard hits, underscoring the utility of having emergency QB on your team.

There is absolutely no reason to think that any sort of mentoring or coaching faculty was a significant motivating factor. If the Pats wanted someone to work in a coaching capacity, they would have hired a coach, and not used a roster spot.

I agree 100%. This idea that Vinnie is a coach on the sly is one of the weirdest theories I have ever heard.

Brady has been getting his ass steamrolled for the better part of two years.

 

[PATSNUTme]

According to the poll, there are only 4 that think the sky has fallen in on hte season.

But, there are quite a few "maybes".

 

[PatsFan37]

I would put the biggest needs as Warren and Neal back with Seymour 100%. The Jets were targeting the gap between Wilfork and Wright very successfully when they ran up the middle. The Pat's have to win the battle of the line, and they didn't against the Jets. Pennington also had far too much time to throw.

I agree, but I also think the QB-receiver timing & routes remains a big problem. I voted with confidence (11-5 deep into playoffs) because I'm also seeing week-to-week improvement.

By season's end, this team will have one of the most dangerous passing games around (not just to themselves!) a good running game and a solid defense. By next year, people will point to the Pats receivers and see one of the deepest from #1 through #5, plus the TE's and Maroney and Faulk, of any team in the league.