Pats Went 1-4 to End Season. What Was The Cause of Implosion?

[sb1]

Pats have to be really good annually for 4+ more years in order for Belichick to catch Shula. Meanwhile the cap situation doesn't look good next year, a lot of expensive bust players and limited money to keep JC or do something else big. I guess it goes without saying they have to hit on the draft in a major way with multiple key new rookies.

I don't think BB will catch Shula either. 38 regular season wins is a lot unless Bill wants to coach another 4+ years and I doubt he does.

 

[captain stone]

He played the Injury card because he wanted more $(he wasn't ready and he knew it through his lies) even though they advanced him the year before, and he was either the Highest Paid, or close to it when they signed him, he sucked learning the system.
I REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY how bad he was when he first came here, folks were BASHING Bill for that "Ridiculous Contract".
Take a look at pressure the Front 7 put on QBS under Flores his last year when he won the DPOY, he was great, but OBVIOUSLY helped GREATLY by Flores' pressure schemes.
He wasn't coming back at his salary HERE, and BB knew the deal.
F him.

Flo had already left for Miami when Gilmore won DPOY.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Part of me believes the Pats should totally beef up the front 7 and go young in the secondary. CBs cost a ton but if you can get pressure up front and stop the run, it takes so much off of the CBs. The best way to stop any of these high flying offenses is to get to the QB.

Absolutely. Go defense the first several picks.

 

[Ring 6]

He played the Injury card because he wanted more $(he wasn't ready and he knew it through his lies) even though they advanced him the year before, and he was either the Highest Paid, or close to it when they signed him, he sucked learning the system.
I REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY how bad he was when he first came here, folks were BASHING Bill for that "Ridiculous Contract".
Take a look at pressure the Front 7 put on QBS under Flores his last year when he won the DPOY, he was great, but OBVIOUSLY helped GREATLY by Flores' pressure schemes.
He wasn't coming back at his salary HERE, and BB knew the deal.
F him.

Your memory is of what people who didn’t understand what they were seeing jumped to a conclusion of.
Early in Gilmore’s first season the patriots struggled with bunch formations to the point receivers were getting wide open because 2 defenders took the same guy. People blamed Gilmore because he was the new guy so it has to be his fault, when that wasn’t really the truth.
It’s like the ignorant chain that Stork tipped the snap by raising his head in Denver. People who don’t understand get it wrong and keep screaming it until someone believes them.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Your memory is of what people who didn’t understand what they were seeing jumped to a conclusion of.
Early in Gilmore’s first season the patriots struggled with bunch formations to the point receivers were getting wide open because 2 defenders took the same guy. People blamed Gilmore because he was the new guy so it has to be his fault, when that wasn’t really the truth.
It’s like the ignorant chain that Stork tipped the snap by raising his head in Denver. People who don’t understand get it wrong and keep screaming it until someone believes them.

You're saying Gilmore didn't blow some obvious coverages his first year here? Those absolutely happened. Who did it then

 

[Ring 6]

You're saying Gilmore didn't blow some obvious coverages his first year here? Those absolutely happened. Who did it then

Im saying coverages were screwed up, everyone blamed Gilmore and he was not only responsible.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I don't think BB will catch Shula either. 38 regular season wins is a lot unless Bill wants to coach another 4+ years and I doubt he does.

How the hell did Don Shula win so many games

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Great ESPN article today. Not trying to cause controversy:

"Brady owns a staggering 112-31 (.783) record after Thanksgiving, and 43-14 (.754) in January and February. When other teams fade, as rosters are whittled down because of injuries, Brady's teams ascend. He finds a way to pull out the perfect play in the perfect situation. "

How Buccaneers' Tom Brady finds ways to connect come playoff time

Brady on his focus shift after Thanksgiving: 'This isn't the time for trips to the movie theaters, this is the time to lock in.'

www.espn.com

 

[lancerman]

How the hell did Don Shula win so many games

Shula was really good coach and also he was the beneficiary of two of the all time great QB’s in Marino and Unitas and the years he didn’t have them he had Griese who was a HOF guy with a super team. All this pre cap when the league was full of haves and have nots

 

[amfootball]

Great ESPN article today. Not trying to cause controversy:

"Brady owns a staggering 112-31 (.783) record after Thanksgiving, and 43-14 (.754) in January and February. When other teams fade, as rosters are whittled down because of injuries, Brady's teams ascend. He finds a way to pull out the perfect play in the perfect situation. "

How Buccaneers' Tom Brady finds ways to connect come playoff time

Brady on his focus shift after Thanksgiving: 'This isn't the time for trips to the movie theaters, this is the time to lock in.'

www.espn.com

Great read. The late season runs by the Pats all those years were courtesy of #12.

 

[lancerman]

I don't think BB will catch Shula either. 38 regular season wins is a lot unless Bill wants to coach another 4+ years and I doubt he does.

I think it will get to a point where Bill is so close that he’s just going to go for it. Say 2 years from now he’s mulling retirement, well now he’s 18-20 games away. Unless the team is ****ting the bed…. I don’t know how he passes it up.

Bill isn’t dumb. A huge achievement in his profession is pretty much there if he wants it

 

[Stu Pidassle]

The season was a roller coaster, with the highest peak coming in the middle. The season started with the team playing conservatively with 'not to lose' game plans due to Mac just starting and the O-line. During the win streak the team started to jell and a number of opponents were injured. The team started fast most games and the defense played aggressively. The game plans were intended to dictate the game by exploiting weaknesses of the opponent or leveraging the strengths of the team. When the bye came along the mentality returned to the passive approach for some known (injuries, COVID, strength of opponent) and unknown (teams figured out what the Pats were doing, inner conflict, coaching, whatever else the media wants to dream up) reasons. Losses in the secondary and Judon's knee in particular changed the way the defense was able to attack. With no game plan advantage the talent gap was exposed. In some ways it is better that the team fell flat because there will be more top down scrutiny from the owners and BB will have the ability to make real changes without worrying about any sacred cows.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Great read. The late season runs by the Pats all those years were courtesy of #12.

It's incredible how so many key team performance metrics get even better post-Thanksgiving on the Bucs. Byron Leftwich is doing a phenomenal job.

 

[captain stone]

Great read. The late season runs by the Pats all those years were courtesy of #12.

He was also given just enough groceries to make it work, better than there are here now; and with a better OL coach than is here now, not to mention an entire defensive coaching staff...

 

[DropKickFlutie]

The season was a roller coaster, with the highest peak coming in the middle. The season started with the team playing conservatively with 'not to lose' game plans due to Mac just starting and the O-line. During the win streak the team started to jell and a number of opponents were injured. The team started fast most games and the defense played aggressively. The game plans were intended to dictate the game by exploiting weaknesses of the opponent or leveraging the strengths of the team. When the bye came along the mentality returned to the passive approach for some known (injuries, COVID, strength of opponent) and unknown (teams figured out what the Pats were doing, inner conflict, coaching, whatever else the media wants to dream up) reasons. Losses in the secondary and Judon's knee in particular changed the way the defense was able to attack. With no game plan advantage the talent gap was exposed. In some ways it is better that the team fell flat because there will be more top down scrutiny from the owners and BB will have the ability to make real changes without worrying about any sacred cows.

Nice post.
Team wins were carried all year by the defense. Defense faded with Jon Jones, Mills out and Judon disappearing. Offense did its typical mediocre thing, can't put too much expectation on a special needs OC. Team needs to reload on defense with several picks in the next draft.

 

[captain stone]

You're saying Gilmore didn't blow some obvious coverages his first year here? Those absolutely happened. Who did it then

Im saying coverages were screwed up, everyone blamed Gilmore and he was not only responsible.

There were definitely some early-season communication issues, though the one blunder from Gilmore that stuck with me was his Hands to the Face penalty vs Scam Newton's Panthers... There's no doubt in my mind that if Wise's sack stood then Pats win the game.

 

[captain stone]

It's incredible how so many key team performance metrics get even better post-Thanksgiving on the Bucs. Byron Leftwich is doing a phenomenal job.

I wouldn't go that far... Brady's still running the plays he wants to run... Leftwich is more of a Suggestor than a Coordinator.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I wouldn't go that far... Brady's still running the plays he wants to run... Leftwich is more of a Suggestor than a Coordinator.

=D

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Shula was really good coach and also he was the beneficiary of two of the all time great QB’s in Marino and Unitas and the years he didn’t have them he had Griese who was a HOF guy with a super team. All this pre cap when the league was full of haves and have nots

Yea. A lot easier to ride out a good team pre salary cap and just keep a superteam together.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

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