Pats Rebuild Intermittent View of Progress

[TheRazorsEdge]

It's on track.

It's extremely hard for us as fans (generally speaking) to take a step back and look at the bigger picture critically. Our unprecedented success over the last 20 years makes it extremely hard to do so.

We rode Cam as far as we could in the year 1 post Brady. Aided by Covid, the roster started it's 'transition'

We drafted a 1st Rd QB who was battling for OROY against the guy who had arguably the greatest rookie wr season all time. Made the playoffs.

This offseason brought in some more WR talent via draft and trade. Cut loose the dead weight...drafted oline/run game/filled defensive depth.

I know there was this common thought out there when Cam was QB that "we were just an average qb away!" We now know that is not true.

Next year with the Cap space, with a clearer picture of who is who, I expect the team to put 'finishing touches' on the roster.

 

[PScottman]

But right now it looks like a clown show with the coaching.

I've been waiting to address this particular meme - I guess now is as good a time as any.

Humans hate change. It's the unknown because we can't tell the future. Football fans are conditioned, in the hatred of change, to declare unabashedly - the Patriots are not following tradition! They are not naming an OC! They are using a committee approach! It will fail because it is different and unknown! We are the Unfrozen Cavemen Lawyers - this world frightens and confuses us.

This approach might fail to be frank. Not every change or innovation succeeds, but the only way to know is to try.

What are the potential pros of a committee approach? Less predictability might be a big one. Many around here said that McDaniels became more telling in his alignments - fullback and Harris - higher probability of a running play for example.

That said, a con could be the offense being unable to find a "groove" or comfort in that lack of predictability and stability. In the same way we fans are uneasy in accepting the "new", the team may have the same uncomfortableness.

The only thing we do know - is that we will decamp into tribes over this change despite not having much, or any, data that declaratively provides proof one way or the other. It's too early.

Is the struggling offense the coaching, the injuries, lack of continuity, too much continuity, the methodology (i.e. working on aspects the coaches know need more reps versus the ones that don't), the change in methodology with the added zone blocking concepts, the heat, the humidity, the cleats, the ball, allergies, or any one of 1000s of other potential variables?

I for one am interested to see it play out. I won't state definitively its great or terrible until I have some actual data to support either conclusion.

 

[Toofy]

Let's just hope our tight ends start performing to their billing . Then we are talking a different language . I am hopeful Jonnu shows us something this season .

And if the outside zone scheme starts working Rham and Harris are going to be a handful with Montgomery possibly being the unheralded horse that starts to win more contests than expected.

I believe Mac and the WR room will do slightly better than expected . Not outstanding but more than sufficient.

Expecting our run defense and pass rush to be considerably better which will allow our secondary to outperform and keep offenses on a leash .

Our safeties are probably the best in class thereby limiting long drives.

So though we have not performed well in preseason, we are a well rounded team , much better than the 2020 and 2021 team.

If Barmore , godchaux ,Mills and Jennings show that huge leap over prior years we start entering dangerous opponent territory.

Overall lot of room for optimism..

Go pats !

 

[TommyD4207]

I do not think MJ is an elite QB and not sure he will ever reach that status. Great guy, great attitude...but...I would rather have Kenny Pickett to be honest with you.

That's all I need to read. Enjoy Christan Hackenberg 2.0.

 

[Water Boy]

Is the rebuild proceeding on track or are we looking at a very long process...

Good question. Based on how things are going from a coaching stand point, It's hard to say if we'll regain the dynasty.

Clearly we are not there yet, In my view you need an elite QB to be a serious SB contender. I do not think MJ is an elite QB and not sure he will ever reach that status. Great guy, great attitude...but...I would rather have Kenny Pickett to be honest with you

Kudos on a hot take. I'd rather roll with MJ.

 

[Kdo5]

I've been waiting to address this particular meme - I guess now is as good a time as any.

Humans hate change. It's the unknown because we can't tell the future. Football fans are conditioned, in the hatred of change, to declare unabashedly - the Patriots are not following tradition! They are not naming an OC! They are using a committee approach! It will fail because it is different and unknown! We are the Unfrozen Cavemen Lawyers - this world frightens and confuses us.

This approach might fail to be frank. Not every change or innovation succeeds, but the only way to know is to try.

What are the potential pros of a committee approach? Less predictability might be a big one. Many around here said that McDaniels became more telling in his alignments - fullback and Harris - higher probability of a running play for example.

That said, a con could be the offense being unable to find a "groove" or comfort in that lack of predictability and stability. In the same way we fans are uneasy in accepting the "new", the team may have the same uncomfortableness.

The only thing we do know - is that we will decamp into tribes over this change despite not having much, or any, data that declaratively provides proof one way or the other. It's too early.

Is the struggling offense the coaching, the injuries, lack of continuity, too much continuity, the methodology (i.e. working on aspects the coaches know need more reps versus the ones that don't), the change in methodology with the added zone blocking concepts, the heat, the humidity, the cleats, the ball, allergies, or any one of 1000s of other potential variables?

I for one am interested to see it play out. I won't state definitively its great or terrible until I have some actual data to support either conclusion.

I’m interested to see how it plays out too. And your approach is fine, wait it out. I don’t think it is absurd to have any sort of judgement beforehand.

There has been word from reporters of struggles (to say the least) with the offense, questionable buy in from top offensive players and split/uncertain offensive duties being assigned to two different coaches who have never coached an offense. Both of those coaches were embarrassing failures when they were handed the full reign to teams.

Maybe Bill is a genius and it will all work out, it certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility. but I’m doubtful.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I’m interested to see how it plays out too. And your approach is fine, wait it out. I don’t think it is absurd to have any sort of judgement beforehand.

There has been word from reporters of struggles (to say the least) with the offense, questionable buy in from top offensive players and split/uncertain offensive duties being assigned to two different coaches who have never coached an offense. Both of those coaches were embarrassing failures when they were handed the full reign to teams.

Maybe Bill is a genius and it will all work out, it certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility. but I’m doubtful.

Yes, I understand you are doubtful.

It looks to me like a lot of negative reporting which has happened for years. Is there reason to be concerned with this year's negative analysis? Could be, but not likely based on past performance. Don't read too much into the negativity, unless you feel it is necessary to do so.

 

[gitgronked82]

2020: sign a terrible passer and get a higher draft pick for a QB - check
2021: draft Mac Jones and make it to the playoffs - check
2022: win 1-2 playoff games -

While I’m really hoping for linear progress like that, I think it’s necessary to keep perspective this year.
First, if we don’t win a playoff game this year, I’m not sure that it is enough to say that we’re not a good team or are not on track. The AFC is just loaded. Doing the math as far as projecting which teams we’d need to beat out is pretty daunting. A team that’s on track and is an 11 win team in the AFC 4 years ago may not make the playoffs this year. So I’ll try to separate quality of team/rebuild from success in the current landscape.
Also, as others have mentioned, this is a bit of an odd year in the process. It’s the year before we have cap space to spend for the first time since Mac was a rookie. We should have more of an idea of what our team is like and what we need. I see next year as a “must win a playoff game” year. If we make the playoffs this year, I’ll be really happy.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Yes, I understand you are doubtful.

It looks to me like a lot of negative reporting which has happened for years. Is there reason to be concerned with this year's negative analysis? Could be, but not likely based on past performance. Don't read too much into the negativity, unless you feel it is necessary to do so.

I agree that the negative reporting is not helpful. Every show translates whatever happens on a given day into a tale of how BB can no longer get away with x, y or z because Brady is no longer here to make all things well. It doesn't matter that today's message is in contradiction to a previous conviction. Yesterday Felger went on a long diatribe about how he is sad about losing McD and the coaching situation because he was looking forward to a nice step forward for Mac and the offense. This is the same troll who was denigrating Mac's capability and ripping McD for making things too complicated.

I can't wait for the games to start. It has to be better than the assumed failure that is being broadcast before the first snap of the season.

 

[sb1]

Still happy the schedule has us in Buffalo in week 18. Might benefit us if we’re a fringe playoff team. Bills might have their spot locked up and rest players. The weather might also make it a coin flip game again like the regular season game last year. Would be great to get a freebie and we’re owed one anyway for the Packers and Jets rolling over in week 17 in 2002 and 2008 to keep us out.

They say the AFCW will get 3 teams in. 2 probably but 3 not so sure about that. They have to play each other. They also get the Rams and 49ers and Colts.

I think Pats duplicating their 10-7 record from last season gets them in.

 

[Triumph]

No, just based on competition around the AFC. They have the Bills and Dolphins in their own division to worry about. The entire AFC West could make the playoffs. Then you have Bengals and Ravens in the North and someone winning the AFC South.

The Steelers are not going away either. Trbisky can get you in the playoffs.

Pickens looks like an absolute monster WR.

 

[203Pat]

The direction has confused me somewhat the last couple years. I still feel like the last month of 2020 we should have let Stidham start a few games on the slim chance there was anything there and worse case scenario we got a better draft pick. When we traded Gilmore midseason last year when he still could have helped us I figured that was part of rebuilding but then we signed an over the hill Jamie Collins a day or two later. We still have the oldest roster in the league and the fact we drafted so poorly for so long severely impacts the speed of the rebuild unless Mac takes a bigger step forward than most assume he will but he also doesn't have a single veteran offensive coach on his side of the ball this year. Bill has done a pretty poor job of having a backup plan lately between Brady to no one and Josh to no one. He needed to be better prepared for both their departures and flat out dropped the ball.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

The Steelers are not going away either. Trbisky can get you in the playoffs.

Pickens looks like an absolute monster WR.

Trubisky and a rookie WR get the Steelers in? WOW. What a post. You were drunk, right?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

2020: sign a terrible passer and get a higher draft pick for a QB - check
2021: draft Mac Jones and make it to the playoffs - check
2022: win 1-2 playoff games -

I don't even count 2020 as year 1 of the rebuild. That was with Cam in a covid year, where we led the league in opt-outs (I believe). So in year 1 of the rebuild we went back to the playoffs - not bad. Now we need to win 1-2 playoff games.

 

[Triumph]

Trubisky and a rookie WR get the Steelers in? WOW. What a post.

Pickens, Claypool, Najee Harris.

Pitts defense is solid.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

It's way too early to crown Mac as the Franchise.

Pickens, Claypool, Najee Harris.

Pitts defense is solid.

Trubisky? You must have been hammered to post that?

 

[Triumph]

It's way too early to crown Mac as the Franchise.

Shouldnt people wait until Jones can beat Buffalo first?

 

[203Pat]

It's way too early to crown Mac as the Franchise.

Shouldnt people wait until Jones can beat Buffalo first?

I agree. He was serviceable last year but I don't see him as some surefire lock to still be the starter here in 5 years.

 

[Triumph]

Trubisky? You must have been hammered to post that?

He is going to be a lot better than what people believe.

Ben was crippled last season and the Steelers still made the post season.

 

[Triumph]

I agree. He was serviceable last year but I don't see him as some surefire lock to still be the starter here in 5 years.

Some here have Jones in the NE HOF already.