No matter what, this was a successful season.

[PATSYLICIOUS]

One other thing is for sure, its been an exciting and intriguing season. I have definitely spent more time on here, YouTubing first take and all those stupid shows, reading weekly power rankings, etc this year than any year in recent history that comes to mind. Maybe since 2007 and the path to perfection stuff.

 

[BelichicksHoodie]

One other thing is for sure, its been an exciting and intriguing season. I have definitely spent more time on here, YouTubing first take and all those stupid shows, reading weekly power rankings, etc this year than any year in recent history that comes to mind. Maybe since 2007 and the path to perfection stuff.

This season was a big unknown, we knew what we were going to get year in, year out with Tom. Cam Newton as well for the most part. There's something special about a rookie quarterback. You don't know if you'll see some magic or an utter trainwreck.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

My biggest concern is playing a team with an elite running game. Pats run defense won't hold up.

I don't expect them to go far. But all in all the 2021 draft was a home run and being back in the playoffs is already the right trajectory for the franchise.

The run D is a concern, no doubt. But this would not be the first BB team that had a defense more than a bit worrisome going into the playoffs that found a surprising next gear (this D is far less worrisome than some years past). Man we had some seriously feeble defenses that played alright come playoff time. And the Patriots won some games that they were, IMHO, clearly not the best team. 2001 SB against the Rams. Ummm forget the year but the Patriots beat the Chargers in San Diego. That was a win by smoke, mirrors and a solid helping hand by Marty S (Chargers had a really good team).

Expectations have to be tampered, Mac is a rookie. What's happening with a rookie QB right now is rare-ish gravy. But with that said, let's see what he, BB, JM, the RBs and OL, the D can do. They've showed plenty of flashes of brilliance. And who we play first probably will not be world beaters.
Here's the path I'm seeing: come out and steam roll 'em in the Wild Card game. Next get a bounce or two in the divisional game(a la Troy brown vs Bills falling out of bounds). Then let's see what happens in the AFCC as a stark underdog (BB needs to play up the underdog angle until it hurts). Sound like a plan?

 

[Fubby]

I wonder how this thread will age if Miami knocks us out of the playoffs on the last game of the season…

Way to go Bill, epic fail again in Miami

 

[sb1]

This team showed in the last month and tonight they were a pretender not contender.

But we probably found our guy at QB. That is step 1 in a rebuild.

 

[Nikolai]

This team showed in the last month and tonight they were a pretender not contender.

But we probably found our guy at QB. That is step 1 in a rebuild.

Yep, pissed off about the lack of heart tonight, but...big picture? Things are looking pretty good for the rebuild.

 

[Boomer B]

There’s that old saying, don’t bring a knife to a gun fight. That’s exactly what we’ve been doing for 3 years. We have 3 good number 3 WRs, but clearly don’t have a number 1 and likely not a 2 on most other teams. Look at the elite playmakers the SB contenders have compared to ours.

Rams: Cupp, Woods (injured)
Packers: Adams
Bucs: Evans, Godwin (injured)
Cards: Hopkins
Cowboys: Lamb, Cooper
Chiefs: Hill, Kelce
Cincy: Chase
Bills: Diggs
Titans: Brown

Go get Mac some playmakers

 

[StrawHatPatriot]

Not in my opinion.

We were 2-4 to start, finished 1-4 with a 30 point blow out loss.

We had a 7 game wining streak against injured teams.

Rex Ryan took Mark Sanchez to a 9-7 record to the AFC title game.

Sean Payton went 9-8 with a decimated team.

I expected more out of Belichick with this team. But the way they look at times - especially after the bye week- was atrocious. And that playoff performance? Yuck.

 

[captain stone]

As that world-famous Patriots fan Yoda might say, the Not ending well is strong in this OP...

 

[gobesmug]

There’s that old saying, don’t bring a knife to a gun fight. That’s exactly what we’ve been doing for 3 years. We have 3 good number 3 WRs, but clearly don’t have a number 1 and likely not a 2 on most other teams. Look at the elite playmakers the SB contenders have compared to ours.

Rams: Cupp, Woods (injured)
Packers: Adams
Bucs: Evans, Godwin (injured)
Cards: Hopkins
Cowboys: Lamb, Cooper
Chiefs: Hill, Kelce
Cincy: Chase
Bills: Diggs
Titans: Brown

Go get Mac some playmakers

You left off the 49ers with Deebo.

Brown not being a Patriot will forever frustrate me. Everything about him, his tape and measurable screamed the perfect fit for our offense at the time.

Harry never made sense and makes me sick that Bill went over the scouts heads to take Harry over Deebo/Brown just like he went over their heads to draft Chad Jackson over Greg Jennings and Bethel Johnson over Anquan Boldin.

Bill should never be allowed to pick a WR in the draft again

 

[StockingAnarchyNumber12]

As that world-famous Patriots fan Yoda might say, the Not ending well is strong in this OP...

What do you mean? This season was clearly a success. Yeah, the playoff loss sucked but there was good that came from this season.

 

[Midship]

No realistic fan can call this a successful season with the way it ended. Total implosion losing 4 of the last 5.

 

[jdlboot14]

Yep, now its officially a success. I think the only thing that could really disappoint me is getting blown out in round 1 or Mac having like a 4 INT game or something like that. Truly happy and EXCITED for the postseason

Well, you called it! That's essentially what happened.
Truth is though - despite the last couple games - this was a fun season to watch because of one word. HOPE
We found a QB and collected more offensive talent - they didn't all hit, but it's heading back in the right direction.

 

[StockingAnarchyNumber12]

No realistic fan can call this a successful season with the way it ended. Total implosion losing 4 of the last 5.

We went 10-7 and got into the playoffs despite being in year one of our rebuild.

Ill agree with you if we lose 10 games next season but if this season is the start of a positive trend, then yes its successful.

Lets touch back on this next season then.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Well, you called it! That's essentially what happened.
Truth is though - despite the last couple games - this was a fun season to watch because of one word. HOPE
We found a QB and collected more offensive talent - they didn't all hit, but it's heading back in the right direction.

yeah that was a real damper to a moderately successful season. But I feel confident that we have our qb and i feel confident that bb will build us back up in due time. Might not be next year, but i dont think we are as far away as it looked after the rough start / finish, and we are not as close as we looked after the 7 game streak/moving into the 1 seed. Somewhere in the middle. We competed in every game but one, on a schedule that included some great teams. just unfortunate that the blowout was the big one.

 

[Bill Lee]

Go get Mac some playmakers

Yeah, but that alone won't be a fix. BUF had a perfect offensive game on us. Not one punt. Moved at will. Getting a WR1 might relieve some pressure from the D being on the field so much, but still you do need to make some stops too.



Having said that, we do need a lot more talent on the O, but we can't win with this D either. Having better WRs might make the season more fun, but it'd also still mean we lose to BUF or a team like them when we meet them in the playoffs. Like it or not, we now have to build out team to take out BUF.

 

[Bill Lee]

Bill's perspective: calm down on the knee jerk reactions, try to take in the big picture...





Source:

 

[Bill Lee]

A comment from Mike Reiss that I thought was interesting:



Source:

 

[FCB02062]

beg to differ bigly on the success of this season. losing 4/5 down the stretch is very far from a success the needle is pointing down based on the end of the season, when Belichick coached teams are supposed to be playing their best football.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Gaw, sow the wind, reap the whirlwind, yadda yadda. Guess we will have a POWERFUL draftnik/roster-rehab contingent. Not to mention another run at "Fire Bill/Josh/Whoever."

And as stupid as these guys look when there's a season still on, you can't look real good saying "shaddap" for the next ugh eight months of this shlitz.

At least we've all got our old flame as our backup interest today... & we know that on a good day he still wins em now and then. Another buncha guys I need to hear from this morning, the "wahhhhh why dont WE still have Brady" crew.

But I will say,.. Here's something about numbing receivers. You best receiver is a number 1 receiver. So if you're doing well, they're a "true number 1 receiver." If you're not, they're "three number 3s."

I mean, how circular can a ****in definition be. But maybe we will get a "true number 1," not like oh I dunno, Ochocinco, who must not have ever been a "true number 1." He must have been a number 4 that really overperformed a bunch of times.

I mean point taken, none of those guys were lighting it up. And from there its a merry go round. But the QB was a rookie. But the Oline. But they were out there in the wrong order or something. But Josh McDaniel.

Eh well, get more better. You guys get in touch w BB et al and get on it.

I'd really love to hear the answer to the Jonnu mystery leak out myself (jumping on the bandwagon...)