How to lose to the Jets next week without making it obvious that Pats are trying to lose the game

[VJCPatriot]

I back this team win or lose. I've met and spoken with both Bob and Jonathan Kraft on several occasions and I know they appreciate season ticket holders on a personal level. I don't think they're laughing. In fact, I figure they're heartsick over what has transpired the last two seasons.

I will give Kraft credit for this. Kraft's top priority over the years has been to WIN with the team. He does feel in that way like a fan who wants the success of the team over just cutting a profit. I can't say the same for John W Henry and the Red Sox ownership group.

The problem is that too many mistakes have been made. Now the Krafts need to make some tough decisions and changes MUST happen if they are to right the sinking ship.

 

[VJCPatriot]

No start Ryland at quarterback and let Mac kick the field goals.

The scary thought is that as bad as both are at their respective positions... that might actually be an improvement!

 

[VJCPatriot]

I've got to agree with previous posters that starting Mac Jones would be the ultimate psychological bombshell.

The entire offense would lose confidence, the Jets would be befuddled as they had been studying Zappe's game film, and Mac Jones could predictably implode at the worse possible moment by throwing a backfooted off balance lame duck airball to the closest Jets DB who are ranked pretty highly so ONE of them at least could cash in on a Pick SIX.

Then we could finally close the book on Mac10, knowing, you know what we did give him a last chance but he was never gonna make it here.
Oh and as a bonus we go down fighting but rightfully lose as we should to cap off a crappy season and end up with a top 3 draft pick to begin the rebuild in earnest.

 

[The Gr8est]

I've got to agree with previous posters that starting Mac Jones would be the ultimate psychological bombshell.

The entire offense would lose confidence, the Jets would be befuddled as they had been studying Zappe's game film, and Mac Jones could predictably implode at the worse possible moment by throwing a backfooted off balance lame duck airball to the closest Jets DB who are ranked pretty highly so ONE of them at least could cash in on a Pick SIX.

Then we could finally close the book on Mac10, knowing, you know what we did give him a last chance but he was never gonna make it here.
Oh and as a bonus we go down fighting but rightfully lose as we should to cap off a crappy season and end up with a top 3 draft pick to begin the rebuild in earnest.

I’m thinking Zappe looks a bit peaked.

May even become a fullblown projectile vomiting flu by Sunday.

 

[The Brandon Five]

No start Ryland at quarterback and let Mac kick the field goals.

At least there would be less picks that way.

 

[NormZauchin]

I've got to agree with previous posters that starting Mac Jones would be the ultimate psychological bombshell.

The entire offense would lose confidence, the Jets would be befuddled as they had been studying Zappe's game film, and Mac Jones could predictably implode at the worse possible moment by throwing a backfooted off balance lame duck airball to the closest Jets DB who are ranked pretty highly so ONE of them at least could cash in on a Pick SIX.

Then we could finally close the book on Mac10, knowing, you know what we did give him a last chance but he was never gonna make it here.
Oh and as a bonus we go down fighting but rightfully lose as we should to cap off a crappy season and end up with a top 3 draft pick to begin the rebuild in earnest.

Though I expect Zappe to start, with game conditions precarious, it's possible that Zappe slips and twists a knee or ankle, and Mac does come in.

 

[Ring 6]

I will give Kraft credit for this. Kraft's top priority over the years has been to WIN with the team. He does feel in that way like a fan who wants the success of the team over just cutting a profit. I can't say the same for John W Henry and the Red Sox ownership group.

The problem is that too many mistakes have been made. Now the Krafts need to make some tough decisions and changes MUST happen if they are to right the sinking ship.

If Krafts priority was winning he would not buckled to what’s best for all 32 and ACCEPTED being railroaded.

Fix the Qb position and this team is a contender.

 

[NFL Mystique]

The scary thought is that as bad as both are at their respective positions... that might actually be an improvement!

Mac kicks a 65 yard FG to win 21-19 as time expires

 

[NFL Mystique]

I will give Kraft credit for this. Kraft's top priority over the years has been to WIN with the team. He does feel in that way like a fan who wants the success of the team over just cutting a profit. I can't say the same for John W Henry and the Red Sox ownership group.

The problem is that too many mistakes have been made. Now the Krafts need to make some tough decisions and changes MUST happen if they are to right the sinking ship.

Maybe I'm out of the loop.

But the Red Sox have won 4 WS titles in 20 years. Been to several more ALCS matches.

Why the hate for the owners?

 

[VJCPatriot]

Maybe I'm out of the loop.

But the Red Sox have won 4 WS titles in 20 years. Been to several more ALCS matches.

Why the the for the owners?

I'll fill you in...

The Red Sox downhill trajectory started with the hiring of Chaim Bloom in 2019.

Under Bloom's watch the Red Sox earnest downfall was triggered with the trade away of perennial all-star Mookie Betts in 2020 to the Dodgers for purely salary based rather than talent reasons. Bloom was later quoted to say that trading away Mookie Betts was like "avoiding a car crash."

He would go on to run the Red Sox like a small market team, refusing to make moves to improve the active roster and instead focused on stockpiling farm team prospects. Under his "guidance" the Red Sox missed the playoffs in 3 of his 4 seasons in charge as the GM of the Red Sox.

This decline continued with the recent departure of star shortstop Xander Bogaerts who reportedly wasn't even made an offer by the Red Sox in free agency and the unceremonious dump trade of catcher and vocal veteran leader Christian Vazquez to the Astros.

And now the reports have come out that both Bloom and the newly hired GM Breslow, his replacement, are/were being handcuffed to a 225m dollar salary budget which is well below the maximum MLB spending threshold before taxes of 238m.

So the Red Sox continual reluctance to spend while shipping out star players, has really shown their lack of commitment to winning and more of a focus on scraping profits with minimal spending. In other words the Red Sox decided to go cheap and the product on the field has suffered substantially and there's no sign that ownership is willing to back any further spending in order to win.

Revisiting disastrous Mookie Betts trade: Mookie Betts trade retrospective: Four things to know as Dodgers outfielder returns to Boston to face Red Sox

Red Sox brass handcuff salary spending in current free agency: Report: Red Sox told free agent they must shed payroll before ‘aggressively’ pursuing him