That loss is on the coaches

[Wrath Mania]

Maybe Butler was still recovering from the flu, maybe he was weak. If not, hard your analysis is understandable

For the nth time, the guy played on special teams. Obviously he was furious he didn't play. Belichick himself told Tom E. Curran in post game that he was healthy. This had **** to do with the flu.

 

[chumpchange]

Absolutely, anyone who says the 5 SBs are on belichick should be forced to watch the 3 losesl from beginning to end, this whole dynasty has been Brady rescuing the team from stupid ******** that the coaching staff made happen. With an even remotely lesser quarterback, belichick is lucky to have two titles. He's the luckiest coach in the world that he's had Brady bailing him out for 17 years

Bill is a great coach, but I do agree that on-field talent is more critical than great coaching. Sure, you can implement your game plans all day long but if you don't have THE guy who can physically and mentally execute all those plays you draw up, you have nothing. Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time and his brilliance is more important to the team than Bill's brilliance. I think Kraft is very aware of that.

 

[captain stone]

Blame Gostkowski for the PAT, sure. But you're way off base blaming him for the missed FG. The holder dropped the effin' snap and got it set so late that Ghost had to stop & reload. And even then it managed to hit the upright, which it had no right to do in that situation.

OK, I just re-watched the FG attempt in question, and Yes you're right that the holder dropped the snap.
(Full confession: I was so disgusted by the 2nd-and 3rd-down play calls that I fast-forwarded through the FG attempt and therefore ass-umed that the kicker just shanked it from the get-go.)
However, I still think that Allen had made enough of a recovery that, even though his timimg was disrupted, the kicker still should've made the FG because of how damn close they were.
I am now going to the Blame Gostkowski thread to make a few edits and mea culpas...

 

[chumpchange]

Bill may have lost the lockerroom because of it.

The gif in your signature is very soothing to the despondent fan tonight.

 

[Sciz]

Of course Hightower is frustrated. It’s not like Belichick is holding a team meeting half an hour before the Super Bowl to explain his personnel decisions to the guys on IR.

 

[Pessimistic Pete]

The thing that sucks is that I really felt EVERYTHING broke right for us this year

-All controversial catch calls went our way (Not saying they were wrong, but they could have easily just been called as stand)

-Wentz, Rodgers, Luck, Watson all out for year (The first two MUCH more important than second two, regardless...)

-Historical playoff pains (Giants, Ravens, Broncos) all didn't make playoffs and what many considered our two top AFC threats (Steelers/Chiefs) didn't even make it to us.

-Our easiest road to SB (Titans > Jaguars > Eagles w/ a backup QB) actually came to fruition.

-Healthy Gronk in the Super Bowl

-Last year with our full coaching staff (Josh, Matt) here

...and we lost. I feel the road is only going to be tougher next year, not easier, this was a noticeably "down" year (both talent and injuries) for the NFL this season.

Add on the last fact felt like as stress-free/legacy reflection week (Tom vs Time, The Two Bills, Bills casually going to an NBA game a Thursday before SB, everyone discussing their legacies as if they had ALREADY won the 6th SB) and this just ****ing sucks

 

[K. Dog]

For the nth time, the guy played on special teams. Obviously he was furious he didn't play. Belichick himself told Tom E. Curran in post game that he was healthy. This had **** to do with the flu.

Maybe he was "healthy" in the sense of being physically healthy and able to participate, but lost some quickness due to recuperation. Maybe special teams doesn’t require a 100% Butler like corner does.

If Butler was really healthy in the sense of being 100% then yes an odd decision.

 

[scott99]

There’s just something about Blount's personality, at least as it comes across to us, that feels like he’s the kind of player who makes his teammates play better. He just feels like a winner. Combination of confidence, humility, humor, combined with a fierce competitive drive. I said this preseason here btw

It’s also chemistry, losing Blount, Bennett, Long, Sheard, Ninkovich, you’re losing a lot of chemistry. I talked a lot about chemistry during the early season struggles, and I believe if we had even 2 of those guys, we are SB 52 Champions.

 

[archstanton543]

-Wentz, Rodgers, Luck, Watson all out for year (The first two MUCH more important than second two, regardless...)
.

The Pats have never had a problem with Luck. Ever. And Watson? C'mon!

 

[Wrath Mania]

Maybe he was "healthy" in the sense of being physically healthy and able to participate, but lost some quickness due to recuperation. Maybe special teams doesn’t require a 100% Butler like corner does.

If Butler was really healthy in the sense of being 100% then yes an odd decision.

Unless there's something about playing CB specifically that would cause whatever dire illness you think he had to automatically cause him and the rest of the defense to die on field, you put Butler out there. They pulled the hook on Kyle Arrington the moment he **** the bed in SB49--you're telling me that somehow, as Rowe, Richards, and Bademosi got roasted again and again, that just TRYING a damn play with Butler wouldn't have been smart? Get real.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Tough schedule next year with a crappy defense. They will get some players back on defense but it's not enough. They need somebody good on that DL. Draft a LB.

 

[lancerman]

The thing that sucks is that I really felt EVERYTHING broke right for us this year

-All controversial catch calls went our way (Not saying they were wrong, but they could have easily just been called as stand)

-Wentz, Rodgers, Luck, Watson all out for year (The first two MUCH more important than second two, regardless...)

-Historical playoff pains (Giants, Ravens, Broncos) all didn't make playoffs and what many considered our two top AFC threats (Steelers/Chiefs) didn't even make it to us.

-Our easiest road to SB (Titans > Jaguars > Eagles w/ a backup QB) actually came to fruition.

-Healthy Gronk in the Super Bowl

-Last year with our full coaching staff (Josh, Matt) here

...and we lost. I feel the road is only going to be tougher next year, not easier, this was a noticeably "down" year (both talent and injuries) for the NFL this season.

Good.

Raiders-Steelers-Rams = win
Titans (coMVP)-Colts(Co MVP)-Panthers = win
Colts(MVP)-Steelers(15-1)-Eagles = win
Ravens-Colts-Seahawks = win
Texans-Steelers-Falcons = win

You know when we lose? When we back into Super Bowls with little resistance. This defense wasn't ready for a game like tonight.

 

[Wrath Mania]

It’s also chemistry, losing Blount, Bennett, Long, Sheard, Ninkovich, you’re losing a lot of chemistry. I talked a lot about chemistry during the early season struggles, and I believe if we had even 2 of those guys, we are SB 52 Champions.

I agree with this. Last year's team seemed very close, confident. In a way those four games to start the year without Brady almost made them better--but I also just think they had some strong leaders, and that mattered when the **** hit the fan in SB51. This year? I mean they battled back, I get that. Just little things that gnawed away all year seemed to really explode in this game--Butler's situation, obviously; but also the tepid play on defense in general; and on offense, Brandin Cooks, whose success in this offense has been hotly debated, played like an antelope in the stampede from Lion King before he got K.O'd. Finally, the offensive line imploded when it mattered most. Just a miserable game to cap off a weird year.

 

[Wrath Mania]

Tom E. Curran puts it well in his latest column:

You know it, I know it, the country knows it – most importantly the Patriots themselves know it – keeping Malcolm Butler on the bench cost them Super Bowl 52.


This is a coaching staff that’s put Troy Brown, Julian Edelman and Matt Slater in to play defense when things got dicey. This is the same coaching staff that had enough of Kyle Arrington in Super Bowl 49 and yanked him in favor of the undrafted, unknown Butler.

Whatever Butler did, it better rise to the level of insubordination that makes a forfeited championship worth it.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I agree with this. Last year's team seemed very close, confident. In a way those four games to start the year without Brady almost made them better--but I also just think they had some strong leaders, and that mattered when the **** hit the fan in SB51. This year? I mean they battled back, I get that. Just little things that gnawed away all year seemed to really explode in this game--Butler's situation, obviously; but also the tepid play on defense in general; and on offense, Brandin Cooks, whose success in this offense has been hotly debated, played like an antelope in the stampede from Lion King before he got K.O'd. Finally, the offensive line imploded when it mattered most. Just a miserable game to cap off a weird year.

I really feel we would have gotten some crucial stops if butler was in the game. The whole defense was pretty much vanilla. They where getting killed and we didn't see anything exotic. No blitzing nada!

 

[GorBelSer]

I am pretty sure we wont draft LB early because it is the most logical thing to do and Belichick will opt for a LS with great attitude in the locker room.

 

[archstanton543]

Tough schedule next year with a crappy defense. They will get some players back on defense but it's not enough. They need somebody good on that DL. Draft a LB.

You know there's a draft and free agent period next year, right?

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

I am pretty sure we wont draft LB early because it is the most logical thing to do and Belichick will opt for a LS with great attitude in the locker room.

Of course not. As for getting more athletic lbs that’s prob not in the cards either, too much freelancing. I’m preparing myself for the letdown or more Jordan Richards/elandon Roberts types

 

[chumpchange]

Tom E. Curran puts it well in his latest column:

You know it, I know it, the country knows it – most importantly the Patriots themselves know it – keeping Malcolm Butler on the bench cost them Super Bowl 52.


This is a coaching staff that’s put Troy Brown, Julian Edelman and Matt Slater in to play defense when things got dicey. This is the same coaching staff that had enough of Kyle Arrington in Super Bowl 49 and yanked him in favor of the undrafted, unknown Butler.

Whatever Butler did, it better rise to the level of insubordination that makes a forfeited championship worth it.

Tom Curran totally gets it: "Because everyone deserved better. The players and coaches who give their lives up to get to this spot, they deserved to be able to give the Eagles their best shot. That meant Butler on the field at some point trying to stop Nick Foles from riddling them for 373 yards and three touchdown passes while the Philly offense went 10-for-16 on third down and 2-for-2 on fourth down while amassing 538 total yards.

Bill Belichick’s earned the benefit of the doubt so I’m going to hold it until we find out the real reason the Butler didn’t get to do anything.

This wasn’t Wes Welker benched at the beginning of the AFC Divisional Playoff against the Jets for a pile of foot jokes. By football standards, this is capital punishment."

 

[Wrath Mania]

Of course not. As for getting more athletic lbs that’s prob not in the cards either, too much freelancing. I’m preparing myself for the letdown or more Jordan Richards/elandon Roberts types

If Jordan Richards is on this team next year I'll believe that BB has severe dementia. Then again, he did assure us this week that Richards 'time was coming'. Man, did it ever....