Kraft regrets giving Belichick so much power without “checks and balances” in place.

[RobertWeathers]

Miss that guy... required reading... was one of the things that made SI special back in the day.

Totally miss him. One of the few analysts who actually knew what the f he was talking about. Wasn't "showy". So thoughtful.

 

[upstater1]

Bill didn't think he needed a top QB to win but he probably softened on that a bit. It seems like the league has now gotten to the point where the best QB wins. Personally, I like the running game and defense but those are less important than ever.

Mac Jones was a bottom of the 120

Bill wanted a #15 QB like Baker Mayfield.

Garoppolo wouldve been a #20 if only he could stay healthy.

Remember, the Giants won with Simms and then Bruner. Or that West Virginia guy. Simms was like a #10-15 and the others were more like #20-25.

Then Belichick saw Eli beat him twice.

He saw that Vinny Testaverde could win you a game in the playoffs.

 

[signbabybrady]

Only a few games into the season...new system, etc. Plus the talent level is meh. Plus Cov is a 1st year DC. I'm the patient type.

Covington has more DC experience than his defensive minded HC. Let that sink in.

 

[signbabybrady]

The defense is not a new system, it is a continuation of last year's system. There were a lot of defensive players in FA and we signed Takitaki and Hawkins, no-one else of significance. This year's players are the same as last year (not meh since they finished Top 10 in 2023), and the Pats had a golden opportunity to sign more defensive players, i.e. Gilmore, Simmons, Wilkins, and others. So 1. it is not a new defensive system, 2. it is a continuation of last year's defense as evidenced in game #1, 3. the players are the same and there was a lot of opportunity to sign All Pro defensive players in FA, and 4. the coaching is Mayo and his hand picked defensive coordinator.

There is no excuse for a drop in the defense. It almost sounds like you are making excuses. The only reason for any drop is that Wolf did not sign defensive FAs and the defensive coaching sucks.

That and some very significant injuries too

 

[Huckleberry1]

You confused your Bs. You mean after Brady made him billions....

No confusion at all, it was the combination of Belichick and Brady that brought them 6 Lombardi’s, unless you believe that Seymour, Wilfork, Vrabel, Gronk and all the other great players Belichick surrounded Brady with didn’t matter?

 

[signbabybrady]

You confuse your B's. You mean after Belichick and Brady made him billions...

There is no Brady without Belichick.

and because two things can be true at the same time...

There is no Belichick without Brady.

Without either one of them, Bob doesn't make his extra billions that winning Championships bring.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

So dear readers,

**** off to all who walk this destructive path of one or the other.

It was Mother****ing BOTH.

for some incomprehensible reason, this seems to be a very hard thing for some to fathom.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

and apologies ahmed, that was not entirely directed at you.

Excellent post!!! TY

 

[signbabybrady]

Bill didn't think he needed a top QB to win but he probably softened on that a bit. It seems like the league has now gotten to the point where the best QB wins. Personally, I like the running game and defense but those are less important than ever.

This has to be one of the most misrepresented comments ever.

The comment was meant as a compliment to the team. That it was so good they could win with any top 15 QB.

It's illogical to think he would actually prefer to build a team with the 15th best QB if he could have number 1.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Covington has more DC experience than his defensive minded HC. Let that sink in.

Accurate

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

That and some very significant injuries too

Last year we lost Judon, Gonzo, and M Jones by week 4. The 2023 defense was still Top 10. Remember when we played with Edelman as CB because of injuries? Remember in 2004 our #3 and #4 CB's were Troy Brown and Earthland Moreland and we won a SB? Those years had very significant injuries and the defenses were still better than this year's defense.

It feels like excuse making to me. Why are posters talking about injuries on the defensive side like this is the first time that has happened? Previously we said "next man up".

 

[signbabybrady]

Last year we lost Judon, Gonzo, and M Jones by week 4. The 2023 defense was still Top 10. Remember when we played with Edelman as CB because of injuries? Remember in 2004 our #3 and #4 CB's were Troy Brown and Earthland Moreland and we won a SB? Those years had very significant injuries and the defenses were still better than this year's defense.

It feels like excuse making to me. Why are posters talking about injuries on the defensive side like this is the first time that has happened? Previously we said "next man up".

I miss Bill

 

[Wax Frog]

I miss Bill

Lost fastball or no, mistakes or no, I will always miss BB.

“He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again.”​

? Wm. Shakespeare , Hamlet

 

[RobertWeathers]

Last year we lost Judon, Gonzo, and M Jones by week 4. The 2023 defense was still Top 10. Remember when we played with Edelman as CB because of injuries? Remember in 2004 our #3 and #4 CB's were Troy Brown and Earthland Moreland and we won a SB? Those years had very significant injuries and the defenses were still better than this year's defense.

It feels like excuse making to me. Why are posters talking about injuries on the defensive side like this is the first time that has happened? Previously we said "next man up".

Barmore and Bentley were catastrophic losses. Guy is an underrated loss as well.

Biggest of all....BB

 

[XLIX]

Same as someone saying they weren't.

Seems you don't know who he was. Shame. He was the best analyst ever.

I have heard of the guy. IIRC he wrote for a now-defunct publication called "Sports Illustrated".

And I stand by my statement that one single Wild Card victory does not make a team "Super Bowl Contenders" no matter what the jerkoffs in the media say. But hey..... if "Dr. Z's" prediction - which ended up completely missing the target - helps you sleep at night about the '95 Browns, then more power to ya.

Absolutely no one picked the Patriots to win Super Bowl 36. According to your logic, they were not Super Bowl Contenders that year....

 

[AQPE]

Dr. Z. used to be on the ESPN draft coverage, back in the early 1980s when the draft was held during the day during the week. He was very knowledgeable but an absolute loon.

 

[signbabybrady]

Robert Kraft among 25 contributors up for HOF consideration

Six-time Super Bowl-winning owner Robert Kraft and three of the key figures around the rise of "Monday Night Football" were picked among the 25 candidates in the contributor category for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

www.espn.com

 

[vicspats]

Ever tried your hand at script writing? Though I must warn you, you won't be any good at it.

**** seriously ????? I just quit my job after writing three novels. One of which I was going to make hopefully into a Sunday afternoon made for tv movie … and now you you’ve ruined my dreams??? What will I tell my children ? My wife?? The neighbors?? You’re a bad man Jerry !!!! A very very bad man !!

 

[SteveKiner]

Robert Kraft among 25 contributors up for HOF consideration

Six-time Super Bowl-winning owner Robert Kraft and three of the key figures around the rise of "Monday Night Football" were picked among the 25 candidates in the contributor category for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

www.espn.com

I would pick John Facenda from that list.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

No question.

If he had been inducted into the HoF none of this would be happening.

No HOF and QB son winning a super bowl in Tampa. The parting of the ways between BB and the team would have much more peaceful if one of those things turned out differently.

 

[AQPE]

**** seriously ????? I just quit my job after writing three novels. One of which I was going to make hopefully into a Sunday afternoon made for tv movie … and now you you’ve ruined my dreams??? What will I tell my children ? My wife?? The neighbors?? You’re a bad man Jerry !!!! A very very bad man !!

Babu. come back!

 

[ahmed]

**** seriously ????? I just quit my job after writing three novels. One of which I was going to make hopefully into a Sunday afternoon made for tv movie … and now you you’ve ruined my dreams??? What will I tell my children ? My wife?? The neighbors?? You’re a bad man Jerry !!!! A very very bad man !!

Ok - maybe you could get better. Hang in there; miracles do happen!