Josh Gordon Stepping Away?

[Soliel]

So am I hearing right that Gordon played in 1 too many games to get that pick back from Cleveland? If so makes you wonder how long the NFL was aware of this failed test and waited until he played in the required number of games before dropping the hammer.

That’s exactly what happened. I’d bet any amount of money on it.

 

[TN patriot fan]

There seems to be plenty of competition for today's award. I can only marvel at how very nice it must be to be them, never to have seen a coworker or loved one struggle with mental health and/or addiction issues must be a real blessing.

I happen to know multiple people, one of whom I am very closely related to, who have struggled with addiction. I just don't buy into the worldview that a human being with normal intelligence has no control over his actions, involving drugs or anything else. I personally have had times in my life when I was going through a major struggle and became pretty self-centered about my problems; I'm thankful that a close friend called me out on said selfishness in those times. My life today is a long way from being rosy, but when I get to feeling sorry for myself I remember that I have other people who rely on me, and whose future and welfare is directly and greatly impacted by my decisions, and I choose not to ignore all of that and make choices that disregard those people's welfare. I have no doubt that Gordon is struggling with addiction; but he still made a choice to disregard the organization that had given him another chance, the teammates whose season, because it's now past the trade deadline, hinged significantly on his choices, and the millions of fans that buy tickets, merchandise, etc. and allow the Krafts to field this team.

 

[maineman209]

What I think it basically comes down to is it shouldn't be controversial to observe that the Patriots are a bad football team right now, and barring a dramatic turnaround that probably would've already happened if it was coming, they're not going to do anything in the playoffs. None of us want that to be the case, but it is what it is. It's an annoyance that simply observing that will get you labeled a bunch of dumb **** by a particular subset of posters here who almost never have anything meaningful to contribute to discussion anyway because they're fundamentally incapable of acknowledging the team's flaws.

Acknowledging that we're watching a team with little talent suffering from 4+ years of bad drafting that's resulted in an old, inconsistent, poorly constructed roster doesn't make you a bad fan. It makes you an honest observer of reality, and if you're pissed off about it because it amounts to wasting one of the few years we have left with the GOAT then... well, it should piss you off. Yet the people who've observed that have taken so much crap here that a lot seem to be fed up with this place in general.

So, you're claiming that your opinions are merely an honest observation of "reality", and that different perceptions and perspectives are .... what?

Just trying to properly calibrate all my gauges here.

 

[Kontradiction]

You realize that this team has been the best ever right?
What’s stupid is that the team has provided its fans with such a level of success that the idiot fans act like it’s THEIR standard and the team is letting them down.
A little maturity would go a long way.

And this post makes my point.

 

[Joey007]

We needed one of those last offseason too.

We had one. We traded him away

 

[BradyFTW!]

So, you're claiming that your opinions are merely an honest observation of "reality", and that different perceptions and perspectives are .... what?

Just trying to properly calibrate all my gauges here.

People who maintain that the Patriots are playing the kind of football that a good team plays are being either dishonest or delusional in their assessment, aka not an honest observation of reality. I thought that was pretty clear.

If you want to claim that the Patriots are playing well and that flatly stating you're wrong makes me intolerant to different perspectives and perceptions then I guess you're entitled to do that, but I could claim the earth is flat and defend myself from objective truth on the exact same basis so what does that really amount to?

 

[Sicilian]

I can think of another team in recent memory that has struggled down the stretch, with an aging QB that seems to be dipping at the wrong time, that lost a key offensive weapon late in the year when it was too late to pick up a replacement. That team found a way to secure the 2 seed and is playing in the Championship game anyway. Who was it, you ask?

It's my fantasy team this year.

 

[sb1]

That’s exactly what happened. I’d bet any amount of money on it.

The Pats are getting a 7th regardless but I certainly wouldn’t put it past the league FO had this been possible. They invented a phony cheating scandal to harm the Patriots so why wouldn’t they do this?

 

[Bonzo]

We had one. We traded him away

Yesterday, in reference to Gilmore's Pro Bowl selection, BB remarked on how basically everybody gets uniformly better their second season in a system. Kind of a moot point today, but my thoughts immediately turned to how different things could have been these last couple weeks had we instead paired Gordon with a 2nd-year Cooks.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

This Patriots team has looked nothing like past Patriots championship teams, or even like Patriots teams that advanced to the conference championship finals in the past.

My only shred of optimism comes not from comparing this Patriots team to past Patriots teams, but comparing them to other very deeply flawed teams who were very lucky to even make the playoffs then everything went right for them. I'm talking the six or so wild card teams that have won the SB, including some #6 seeds. Weird things can happen in the playoffs.

It's not much to hold on to though, and now it seems to have disappeared like (as the Warden in Shawshank said) a fart in the wind.

 

[maineman209]

Patterson's role in the offense seems to have expanded over the last month-plus as well, could see him running more deep routes.

Still 2-3 tgts/game, but on a more consistent basis since the BYE (not as much "5 tgts one week, 0 tgts the next"). He also appears to me to have expanded his route portfolio a little bit.

 

[TomPatriot]

It's over. It was over with Gordon.

You know the thing about sports? Ya still gotta play the games. Chances are you are right, but we'll see how it goes, as BB would say.

 

[50-yard-line]

People who maintain that the Patriots are playing the kind of football that a good team plays are being either dishonest or delusional in their assessment, aka not an honest observation of reality. I thought that was pretty clear.

If you want to claim that the Patriots are playing well and that flatly stating you're wrong makes me intolerant to different perspectives and perceptions then I guess you're entitled to do that, but I could claim the earth is flat and defend myself from objective truth on the exact same basis so what does that really amount to?

Three weeks ago, your point would be moot. Two road games don't necessarily define a season.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Three weeks ago, your point would be moot. Two road games don't necessarily define a season.

The Pats have lost 3 of their last 4 games, all 3 to mediocre-at-best teams, so you'll have to go back further than 3 weeks.

 

[Ring 6]

People who maintain that the Patriots are playing the kind of football that a good team plays are being either dishonest or delusional in their assessment, aka not an honest observation of reality. I thought that was pretty clear.

How many people have said the patriots have played well the last 2 weeks.
How many people would argue that a 9-3 football team that has won 8 of 9 which they were 2 weeks ago, isn’t playing the kind of football good teams play?

 

[Bonzo]

So am I hearing right that Gordon played in 1 too many games to get that pick back from Cleveland?

Uh, maybe somebody ought to tell Rapoport about this...

Either that, or let McDaniels know that it doesn't quite cut it to sit the guy for only the very last play of the game.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Still 2-3 tgts/game, but on a more consistent basis since the BYE (not as much "5 tgts one week, 0 tgts the next"). He also appears to me to have expanded his route portfolio a little bit.

Having a route portfolio at all seems to be a pretty notable expansion for him. Specifically, though, I don't remember seeing a lot of sideline comeback routes from him in the past, either in his time with the Patriots or before. Was always frustrating, because with his raw speed it was always a no-brainer that he should have developed that simply to punish coverages that over-commit to not getting beat deep. It's an encouraging sign that he seems to be running that route with some regularity now.

 

[maineman209]

First we have to find him....say has ANYONE seen Philip Dorsett?! Anyone!?

Dorsett had 256 snaps through the first five games. He's had 77 total snaps in the 9 games since.

 

[Jackson 2]

And... we're ****ed.

Here's a news flash (no pun intended) for 'ya: we were ****ed already...

 

[bormio]

You know the thing about sports? Ya still gotta play the games. Chances are you are right, but we'll see how it goes, as BB would say.

The postseason could be fun. For the first time really since 2001 there are no real expectations - especially with Pats fans. If they lose, they lose. But what if they win ....